Description
Cream Puff Cake blends French pastry elegance with comforting dessert magic, creating a dreamy landscape of delicate choux pastry and silky custard. Pure indulgence awaits when you slice into this heavenly multilayered confection that promises pure culinary bliss.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 eggs
- 2 packages (3.9 ounces each) instant vanilla pudding
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 3 1/2 cups milk
Dairy and Cream Ingredients:
- 8 ounces whipped topping
Finishing Ingredient:
- 1/4 cup chocolate syrup
Seasoning:
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Prepare a 9×13″ baking pan by lightly coating with cooking spray or butter.
- In a medium saucepan, combine water, butter, and salt, bringing the mixture to a rolling boil.
- Remove the hot liquid from heat and transfer to a mixing bowl, then vigorously incorporate flour until a cohesive dough ball forms.
- Allow the dough to rest and cool for approximately 10 minutes to stabilize its temperature.
- Incorporate eggs into the cooled dough, mixing thoroughly until the texture becomes silky and develops a glossy, satin-like appearance.
- Let the mixture rest again for an additional 5 minutes to ensure proper integration.
- Spread the dough evenly across the prepared baking pan, pressing it flat with gentle, consistent pressure.
- Place in a preheated oven at 450°F and bake for 15 minutes until the surface begins to puff and turn golden.
- Using a sharp knife, create approximately 15 small punctures across the raised center to release trapped steam.
- Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking for an additional 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven and allow the pastry base to cool completely for 30-45 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, thoroughly blend softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
- Whisk pudding mix with milk until fully incorporated, then gently fold into the cream cheese mixture.
- Spread the cream filling evenly across the cooled pastry base.
- Top with a layer of whipped topping and drizzle chocolate syrup in an artistic pattern.
- Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving to allow flavors to meld and filling to set.
Notes
- Ensure water and butter are precisely measured for the perfect dough consistency, as even slight variations can affect the pastry’s texture.
- Egg temperature matters: use room temperature eggs to help them incorporate smoothly into the dough, creating a silky, uniform mixture.
- Pricking the puffed center prevents soggy bottoms by allowing steam to escape, ensuring a crisp and light base for your cream filling.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend, keeping the rest of the recipe unchanged.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 29g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 55mg