How To Make One Giant Corn Cream Puff

Why settle for an ordinary cream puff when you can go BIG? Escoffier Chef Instructor Stefanie Bishop-Schmidt takes creative license with her giant corn cream puff in Episode 3 of Escoffier’s Sweet. Savory. Seasonal. video series.

Her unique recipe takes the classic French pastry to new heights with a light, airy choux shell topped with a crisp cornmeal craquelin. Filled with a rich, creamy (and corny) ice cream, it pairs deliciously with a bright blueberry compote and a dressed-up cornflake crunch that even Tony the Tiger would be proud of.

The result is a playful, over-the-top dessert that proves even the most unexpected ingredients can inspire something spectacularly sweet.

Pâte à Choux

Yields: 861 g

Ingredients

• Bread flour 188 g
• Water 284 g
• Kosher salt 3 g
• Unsalted butter 125 g
• Whole Eggs 260 g
• Egg wash — for brushing

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 °F and line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
2. In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the water, salt, and butter to a boil. Allow the fat to melt completely. Remove from heat.
3. Add the flour all at once and mix with a whisk to combine. Return to the heat on medium. Using a spatula, constantly stir the mixture until you see no visible flour or lumps, the dough pulling away from the sides of the pan, and a starchy buildup on the bottom of the pan. This may take a few minutes.
4. Remove dough from the pan and place it in a mixer bowl with the paddle attachment. Alternatively, you can do this part by hand.
5. Mix the dough until the steam dissipates and the temperature lowers.
6. Beat in the eggs one at a time, allowing each one to be fully incorporated before adding the next. Scrape the bowl well. Do not add all the eggs before testing the texture. The batter should be moist, shiny, and fall in a V-shape from the paddle attachment. It should also stretch between your fingers.
7. Using your pastry bag fitted with a large round tip, fill the bag ½ full with the pâte à choux to start, refilling as needed.
8. Pipe pâte à choux into cream puffs by letting the dough build up into a round to the desired size. Egg-wash and place a disk of craquelin on top before baking. (see recipe below)
9. Bake until completely golden brown in color, about 30-45 minutes. Do not open the oven during the first 20 minutes, as the oven will be filled with steam needed for the choux pastry to rise. Opening the oven too soon can cause the pastry to collapse.
10. Cool completely before filling.

Craquelin

Yield: 543 g

Ingredients

• Unsalted Butter 150 g
• Sugar 195 g
• All-purpose flour 145 g
• Cornmeal 50 g
• Kosher Salt 3 g

Directions

1. Combine and mix ingredients in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment until dough is formed.
2. Roll small portions of dough between parchment paper to ⅛ inch thickness.
3. Chill dough sheets for 30-60 minutes until firm.
4. Using a circle cutter slightly larger than your piped choux, cut out rounds.
5. Place on top of the pâte à choux before baking.
6. Bake according to pâte à choux directions.

Blueberry Compote

Yield: Approx. 1.5 cups

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Combine 1 cup of the blueberries, the maple syrup, water, lemon juice, and vanilla in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add the remaining 1 cup of blueberries and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat. The mixture will become thick and jammy as it cools.

Corn Ice Cream

Yield: Approx. 1 quart

Ingredients

• 2 large ears of fresh corn
• 8 oz whole milk
• 16 oz heavy cream
• 5 oz granulated sugar
• 5 large egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅛ teaspoon table salt

Directions

1. Cut the kernels from the cobs. Puree the corn in a blender or food processor until smooth. Cut the cobs in 1/2.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine 8 oz whole milk, 16 oz heavy cream, and pureed corn, corn cobs, and 1/2 of the sugar. Heat over medium-high until the milk is scalding; be careful not to let it boil over.
3. Turn off the heat, cover the pot, and allow to steep for 1/2 hour. Remove the cobs from the pot and set aside. Reheat the milk mixture to scalding.
4. While the milk heats, whisk together 5 large egg yolks, the remaining sugar, and ⅛ teaspoon of table salt.
5. Pour the scaled milk in a slow stream into the yolks while whisk constantly. This ensures the eggs do not overcook. Then return the entire mixture to the saucepan. Heat over medium-low, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon or spatula.
6. Strain the custard through a mesh strainer, pressing on the corn solids to remove all the liquid, and discard the solids. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and add the cobs back to the warm custard. Refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours or overnight.
7. Remove the cobs from the custard, scrape any cream clinging to the cobs back into the custard. Run in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s directions. Scoop the ice cream into a container, lay plastic wrap on the surface, then cover the container. Freeze for several hours or overnight until firm.

Cornflake Crunch

Yield: 4 cups

Ingredients

• Cornflakes 60 g
• Rolled Oats 70 g
• All-purpose flour 50 g
• Coconut oil 45 g
• Maple syrup 50 g
• Ground ginger ¼ tsp
• Kosher salt ¼ tsp

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the rolled oats, all-purpose flour, ground ginger, and kosher salt.
3. Pour the melted coconut oil and maple syrup directly into the dry mixture. Stir thoroughly until the mix is hydrated and clumpy.
4. Gently fold the lightly crushed cornflakes into the crumble. You can form larger clusters if desired by pressing the mix together with your hands.
5. Spread the clusters on the sheet pan and bake for 15-18 minutes, checking and stirring halfway through.
6. The crumble is done when it is golden brown. Allow to fully cool at room temperature. The crumble will harden as it cools.

Looking for more sweet culinary guides?  Look no further:

• Shrimp and Grits with Corn 5 Ways
• 7 Substitutes for All-Purpose Flour
• 5 Decorative Bread Scoring Techniques