Description
These delightful Christmas Tree Cream Puffs are made with crispy choux pastry and filled with a luscious pistachio whipped cream, topped with charming shortbread stars.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (240ml) water
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups (360ml) heavy cream, cold
- 1/2 cup (60g) powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup (40g) pistachio paste (unsweetened or lightly sweetened)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1–2 drops green food coloring (optional)
- 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups (155g) all-purpose flour
- Pinch of salt
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking tray with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Add the vanilla extract and mix until incorporated. Add the flour and a pinch of salt, then mix until a soft dough forms.
- Roll out the dough to about 1/4-inch thickness and use a small star-shaped cutter to cut out cookies. Place on the prepared tray and bake for 8–10 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. Let cool completely, then dust with powdered sugar.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line two baking trays with parchment paper. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, water, salt, and sugar, and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.
- Once boiling, add the flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon for 2–3 minutes until a smooth dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
- Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl and allow it to cool for about 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition, until the dough becomes glossy and pipeable.
- Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a large round or star tip. Pipe three sizes of puffs—approximately 2-inch, 1.5-inch, and 1-inch rounds—onto the trays.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes until golden brown and firm. Do not open the oven during baking. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
- In a large chilled mixing bowl, whip the cold heavy cream using an electric mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Add the powdered sugar, pistachio paste, vanilla extract, and optional green food coloring.
- Continue whipping until stiff peaks form. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Carefully slice each cooled puff horizontally. Fit a piping bag with a star tip and fill it with the pistachio whipped cream.
- Pipe a generous amount of cream onto the bottom halves of each size puff. To build each tree, place the largest puff on the bottom, top with a medium-sized puff, then finish with the smallest.
- Pipe cream between each layer to hold them in place. Gently press a shortbread star on top of the smallest puff. Dust lightly with powdered sugar to give a snowy effect.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- Ensure the eggs are at room temperature for better incorporation into the dough.
- Chilling the mixing bowl before whipping the cream helps achieve better volume.
- You can adjust the food coloring to get the desired green shade for the cream.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cream puff
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 80mg