Japanese Cream Puffs (Shu Cream)
Crisp choux shells filled with a cool vanilla custard cream, the way they are sold in Japanese bakeries.
- Time1 hr 30
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £0.90 a head
- Oven200°C (180°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Line two trays with baking paper and draw twelve 5 cm circles on the underside.
- 2
Melt the butter with the water, milk and 1 tsp sugar. Bring to a rolling boil, tip in the flour all at once and beat hard until it forms a smooth ball. Cook for 1 minute, then cool for 5 minutes.
5 min - 3
Beat in the eggs a little at a time until the paste is glossy and drops off the spoon in a thick ribbon. You may not need every drop.
- 4
Pipe or spoon twelve mounds onto the circles. Bake for 15 minutes at 200°C (180°C fan), then 180°C (160°C fan) for 15 minutes. Do not open the door early. Cool on a rack.
30 min - 5
For the custard, whisk the yolks, 60 g sugar and flour in a bowl. Heat the 250 ml milk until steaming, whisk into the yolks, return to the pan and stir over a medium heat until thick, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla, cover with cling film touching the surface and cool.
3 min - 6
Whip the double cream to soft peaks and fold it into the cold custard. Poke a hole in the base of each puff and pipe in the cream. Dust with icing sugar and eat within a few hours.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
