Vanilla Bean Boba Cream Puffs

1

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. If using a piping bag, fit it with a large round tip (about 1/2-inch opening).

⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 400

2

To make the choux pastry: In a medium saucepan, combine the water, butter, granulated sugar, and salt. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the butter is melted. Remove from heat.

⏱️ 5 min

3

Add all the flour at once to the saucepan. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together and forms a ball. Return the saucepan to medium heat and continue to cook, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes, until a thin film forms on the bottom of the pan. This dries out the dough.

⏱️ 2 min

4

Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment). Let it cool for 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated and the dough is smooth and glossy. The dough should be thick but fall slowly from the spoon in a V-shape.

⏱️ 8 min

5

Spoon the choux pastry into the prepared piping bag. Pipe 1 1/2-inch mounds onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Alternatively, use two spoons to drop mounds of dough.

⏱️ 5 min

6

Bake for 15 minutes at 400°F (200°C). Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue to bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cream puffs are golden brown, puffed, and firm. Turn off the oven, prop the door open slightly with a wooden spoon, and let the cream puffs cool inside for 10 minutes to prevent collapsing. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

⏱️ 30 min•🌡️ 400

7

While the cream puffs cool, make the vanilla bean pastry cream: In a medium saucepan, combine the whole milk, vanilla bean pod, and scraped seeds. Heat over medium heat until simmering, then remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean pod.

⏱️ 15 min

8

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, granulated sugar, and cornstarch until pale and smooth. Slowly temper the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan.

⏱️ 5 min

9

Cook the pastry cream over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens significantly and comes to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, continuing to whisk. Remove from heat and stir in the cold butter until melted and smooth. Transfer the pastry cream to a clean bowl, cover the surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 2 hours.

⏱️ 10 min

10

Prepare the boba pearls: Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the quick-cooking boba pearls and cook according to package directions (usually 5-7 minutes). Drain the boba and rinse with cold water.

⏱️ 10 min

11

In the same small pot, combine the brown sugar and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves and forms a light syrup. Add the drained boba pearls to the syrup and simmer for 2-3 minutes, allowing the boba to absorb the sweetness. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

⏱️ 5 min

12

To assemble the cream puffs: Once the cream puffs are completely cool, slice each one in half horizontally. Fill the bottom half with a generous spoonful of chilled vanilla bean pastry cream. Top with a spoonful of brown sugar boba pearls. Place the top half of the cream puff back on.

⏱️ 10 min

13

Arrange the filled cream puffs on a serving platter. Dust generously with powdered sugar before serving. Best enjoyed immediately.

⏱️ 2 min