Lemon Meringue Cream Puffs

A fun twist on lemon meringue - these delicious cream puffs are filled with a bright and light lemon curd filling and topped with a golden meringue crown.

Cream Puffs filled with a lemon curd and topped with toasted meringue

I am so excited to share this new recipe with you guys! It’s been a while since I’ve had the opportunity to get in the kitchen and test new recipes for the blog! I have been wanting to make Lemon Meringue Cream Puffs for a while now. I could just picture how beautiful the cream puffs would look with the toasted meringue on top. Plus I love using my kitchen torch!

The combination of the tart lemon curd with the sweet meringue is delicious. I made my lemon curd with limoncello liqueur but you can always sub it out for lemon juice (you can follow this recipe here). I made these for a dinner party my friend was hosting. Each course was paired with a different cocktail. So instead of pairing my dessert with a drink - I choose to make a boozy dessert! They were a huge hit with everyone at the party! I love a dessert that is simple and easy to eat.

Pate a Choux

I have been loving making pate a choux - ever since I first made these chocolate cream puffs! The Pate a Choux pastry is cooked first on the stove then in the oven. Technically you just need water, butter, flour and eggs to make choux - but I like to add a bit of sugar and salt to my recipe. I’ve also seen it made with milk - but I have yet to try a recipe with milk and have stuck to the traditional water only dough. The pastry rises due to the steam trapped in the pastry. The puffs are airy and light with a golden brown crust. You want your choux to be light and airy on the inside and crisp on the outside.

Whipped Lemon Curd Cream Filling

I filled these lemon meringue cream puffs with two fillings. One is a lemon whipped cream and the other is lemon curd. I used the lemon curd to flavour my whipped cream. It is a lighter filling - which is pipped into the cream puff first. The lemon curd is then pipped into the cream puff creating a more intensely flavoured centre.

Cream Puffs filled with a lemon curd and topped with toasted meringue

Lemon Meringue Cream Puffs

Ingredients

Pate a Choux

1 c water

1/2 c butter, cut into cubes

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp sugar

1 c flour

4 eggs

Lemon Curd

3 egg yolks

¾  c sugar

¼ c water

2 tbsp limoncello liqueur

Zest from lemon

2 tbsp butter, cut into cubes

Whipped Cream

1 1/2 c heavy cream (35%)

2 tbsp powdered sugar

Meringue

3 egg whites

1 c sugar

Lemon Meringue Cream Puffs - Filled with Lemon Whipped Cream and Lemon Curd

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 425F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside

In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, combine the water, butter, salt & sugar. Simmer until the butter has melted and the mixture comes to a light boil. Take the mixture off the heat and stir in the flour with a wooden spoon. Place the mixture back on the heat and continue to stir until the mixture starts to come off the sides of the pan and a ball forms.

Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool for 4-5 minutes. Stir in eggs one at a time. The mixture will break or come apart with each addition but should come back together before you add the additional egg. Your pastry should be shinny and of a smooth consistency.

Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip (I used a coupler) and pipe about 2 inches apart onto baking sheet. Use a small amount of water to smooth out peak on each dough mound.

Bake for 10 minutes for at 425F, then drop oven temperature to 375F and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Allow shells to cool completely before filling.

To make the Lemond Curd - In a saucepan combine egg yolks, sugar, water, limoncello and zest. Simmer over medium heat, stir constantly until mixture starts to thicken and boil. Allow mixture to boil for 2-3 minutes then stir in butter. Boil for an additional 1-2 minutes then remove from heat. Allow to cool completely.

To make the lemon whipped cream - In the bowl of stand mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk together heavy cream and powdered sugar. Whisk over high speed until medium to stiff peaks form - about 1 to 2 minutes. Do not over whip. Fold half of the lemon curd into the whipped cream.

To make the frosting - Over a double boiler heat together the egg white and sugar for 5 -7 minutes, whisking constantly. Transfer mixture to a clean kitchenaid mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk on high for 5 - 7 minutes or until stiff glossy peaks form.

To Assemble - Fill a pipping bag fitted with a round tip (Wilton 12 or a coupler works well) with the lemon whipped cream. Poke your pipping tip into the bottom of a cooled cream puff shell. Pipe the lemon whipped cream filling into the cream puff until about 2/3rds full. Fill a second pipping bag fitted with a round tip with the remaining lemon curd. Pipe the lemon curd into the bottom of the cream puffs layering it at the bottom of the lemon whipped cream. Fill a piping bag fitted with a large star tip with the meringue. Pipe meringue onto the tops of the cream puffs. Using a kitchen torch brown meringue.

 
Lemon Meringue Cream Puffs - cream puffs filled with a lemon curd and topped with toasted meringue

Chai Cream Puffs

These chai cream puffs have the perfect amount of chai flavour and they are topped with white chocolate and a dusting of cinnamon that really highlight the chai flavour. Perfect for a cozy evening in.

Cream puffs filled with chai whipped cream and topped with white chocolate and cinnamon

As much as I’d love to start bombarding you with Christmas recipes - I will hold off for another week. I figured these Chai Cream Puffs were the perfect transition between Fall and the holidays! Chai is one of those flavours that works so well for both occasions (any occasion really!). I drink chai lattes all year round. In the summer I love them iced and there is nothing better then a hot chai tea latte on a cold day. There is something about chai at winter - its so warming and totally cozy.

I have been having a lot of fun with cream puffs lately. I love how versatile the choux pastry is. It’s the perfect vessel for so many different flavours. I love how light and airy the choux pastry is. Its so fun to fill with different combinations then dunk in chocolate or glaze. The possibilities are endless and I am having so much fun exploring them. Maybe next year I will attempt to make a croquembouche for the holidays. They are so impressive looking! But for this year these chai cream puffs will have to do.

Cream puffs filled with chai whipped cream and topped with white chocolate and cinnamon

Chai Cream Puffs

Makes: 18-24 Cream Puffs

Ingredients:

For the Pate a Choux
1 c water
½ c butter, cut into cubes
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
1 c flour
4 eggs

For the Chai Whipped Cream Filling
1½ c heavy cream
¼ c chai concentrate

¾ c white chocolate chips, melted
Cinnamon

Cream puffs filled with chai whipped cream and topped with white chocolate and cinnamon

Directions

For the Pate a Choux: Pre-heat oven to 425F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside. In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, combine the water, butter, salt & sugar. Simmer until the butter has melted and the mixture comes to a light boil. Take the mixture off the heat and stir in the flour with a wooden spoon. Place the mixture back on the heat and continue to stir until the mixture starts to come off the sides of the pan and a ball forms.

Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool for 4-5 minutes. Stir in eggs one at a time. The mixture will break or come apart with each addition but should come back together before you add the additional egg. Your pastry should be shinny and of a smooth consistency. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip (I used a coupler) and pipe about 2 inches apart onto baking sheet. Use a small amount of water to smooth out peak on each dough mound. Bake for 10 minutes for at 425F, then drop oven temperature to 375F and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Allow shells to cool completely before filling.

For the Chai Whipped Cream Filling: Ensure everything is cold before starting, including your mixer bowl. In a bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment, over medium-high speed whisk your heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Whisk in the chai concentrate until just combined. Chill in fridge until needed.

To Assemble: Fill a pipping bag fitted with a large round tip (such as a Wilton 12) with chai whipped cream filling. Poke your pipping bag tip into the bottom a cooled cream puff shell. Pipe filling into cooled shell until a little starts to ooze out. Dip filled cream puffs into melted white chocolate and dust with cinnamon.

Cream puffs filled with chai whipped cream and topped with white chocolate and cinnamon

White Chocolate Raspberry Cream Puffs

Light and airy cream puffs dipped in white chocolate and filled with a delicious raspberry whipped cream. These beautiful cream puffs make for the perfect Valentine's Day treat!

White Chocolate Raspberry Cream Puffs

I can't believe that Valentine's Day is less than a week away! Are you celebrating early this weekend? Or waiting to celebrate on Wednesday? We are planning on going out for dinner tomorrow night but otherwise our Valentine's Day celebration will be low key.  

I have been having so much fun playing around with pate a choux party. I love how light and airy it is! I knew I wanted to make a light and refreshing Valentine's Day treat and pate a choux was the obvious choice. I knew I wanted to include some chocolate in the dessert - since it is for Valentine's Day. I decided to go with a white chocolate glaze to add sweetness. The raspberry whipped cream filling is so light and airy but totally delicious with just the right amount of raspberry flavour. I love the white and pink colour combination - its perfect for Valentines Day! 

 
White Chocolate Raspberry Cream Puffs

White Chocolate Raspberry Cream Puffs

Makes: 18 Cream Puffs

Ingredients 

1 c water

1/2 c butter, cut into cubes

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp sugar

1 c flour

4 eggs

1 c heavy cream

1-3 tbsp icing sugar, depending on sweetness level of raspberries

½ c raspberries, pureed

3/4 c white chocolate chips

sprinkles (optional)

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 425F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside.

In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, combine the water, butter, salt & sugar. Simmer until the butter has melted and the mixture comes to a light boil. Take the mixture off the heat and stir in the flour with a wooden spoon. Place the mixture back on the heat and continue to stir until the mixture starts to come off the sides of the pan and a ball forms.

Transfer mixture to stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Mix over medium speed for 2-3 minutes, allowing mixture to cool slightly. Beat in eggs one at at time.  The mixture will break or come apart with each addition but should come back together before you add the additional egg. Your pastry should be shinny and of a smooth consistency.

Transfer pastry to a piping back fitted with a large round tip (I used a coupler) and pipe 1 inch rounds, about 2 inches apart onto baking sheet. Use a small amount of water to smooth out peak on each dough mound. 

Bake for 10 minutes for at 425F, then drop oven temperature to 375F and bake for 10 -15 minutes or until golden brown. Allow shells to cool completely before filling.

In a chilled bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment, combine the whipping cream and icing sugar. Whip mixture on high speed for 3-5 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Fold in raspberry puree. 

Fill a pipping bag fitted with a large round tip (I used Wilton 12) with your raspberry whipped cream filling. Poke your pipping tip into the bottom of a cooled cream puff shell. Pipe filling into bottom of each shell until filling starts to ooze out. Dipped filled cream puffs into white chocolate and top with sprinkles if desired. 

 
White Chocolate Raspberry Cream Puffs