🇮🇹 Italian Cream Puffs (Bignè)

Light, airy pastry shells filled with luscious cream — elegant but surprisingly doable at home.

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🛒 Ingredients

For the Pastry (Choux Dough)

• 1 cup water

• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 4 large eggs

• Pinch of salt

For the Classic Italian Cream Filling

Option 1: Pastry Cream (Crema Pasticcera)

• 2 cups whole milk

• ½ cup sugar

• 4 egg yolks

• 3 tablespoons cornstarch

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Option 2: Sweetened Ricotta Cream (Cannoli-style)

• 1½ cups whole milk ricotta (well drained)

• ½ cup powdered sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• Mini chocolate chips (optional)

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👩‍🍳 How to Make Them

1️⃣ Make the Choux Pastry

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).

2. In a saucepan, bring water, butter, and salt to a boil.

3. Add flour all at once. Stir until mixture forms a ball and pulls from the sides.

4. Cool 5 minutes.

5. Beat in eggs one at a time until smooth and glossy.

6. Pipe or spoon mounds onto parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake 20–25 minutes until puffed and golden.
Do NOT open the oven early.
Cool completely before filling.

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2️⃣ Make Pastry Cream (if using)

1. Heat milk until just steaming.

2. Whisk yolks, sugar, and cornstarch.

3. Slowly whisk hot milk into egg mixture.

4. Return to saucepan and cook until thick.

5. Stir in vanilla. Cool completely.

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3️⃣ Fill the Puffs

• Poke a small hole in bottom.

• Pipe cream inside.

• Dust with powdered sugar.

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🌟 Variations

• Dip tops in melted chocolate.

• Fill with whipped cream for lighter version.

• Add espresso powder to pastry cream.

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💡 Tips for Perfect Puffs

• Eggs must be room temperature.

• Dough should be smooth and pipeable, not runny.

• Let shells cool fully before filling to prevent sogginess.

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If you’d like, I can also give you a traditional St. Joseph’s Day version (Zeppole di San Giuseppe) or a shortcut method using store-bought shells.