Save A striking pastry platter featuring elegant swan-shaped cream puffs filled with vanilla pastry cream, perfect for impressing guests at any gathering.
This recipe always wows my guests and makes any occasion feel special.
Ingredients
- Choux Pastry: 120 ml water, 60 g unsalted butter cubed, 1/4 tsp salt, 75 g all-purpose flour, 2 large eggs
- Pastry Cream: 250 ml whole milk, 60 g granulated sugar, 2 large egg yolks, 20 g cornstarch, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 20 g unsalted butter
- Decoration: Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Prepare the Choux Pastry:
- Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a saucepan combine water butter and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat add flour all at once and stir vigorously until a dough forms and pulls away from the sides. Return to low heat stir 1 2 minutes to dry out the dough slightly. Transfer dough to a bowl. Let cool 2 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time until smooth and glossy. Transfer dough to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe 12 oval shapes (about 7 cm (3 in) long) for swan bodies. Using a small piping tip pipe 12 S-shaped necks (about 5 cm (2 in) long) for swan necks heads. Bake bodies for 25 28 minutes until golden and puffed bake necks for 12 15 minutes until set and lightly golden. Cool completely.
- Prepare the Pastry Cream:
- In a saucepan heat milk until just simmering. In a bowl whisk sugar egg yolks and cornstarch until pale. Gradually pour hot milk into the yolk mixture whisking constantly. Return mixture to saucepan. Cook over medium heat whisking until thickened (2 3 minutes). Remove from heat whisk in vanilla and butter. Transfer to a bowl cover with plastic wrap touching the surface and chill until cool.
- Assemble the Swans:
- Slice each choux body horizontally cut the top piece in half lengthwise to form wings. Pipe or spoon pastry cream onto the bottom half. Insert the neck vertically at one end arrange the two wings on either side. Repeat for all swans.
- Finish & Serve:
- Dust swans lightly with powdered sugar before serving.
Save My family gathers around the table marveling at these beautiful swan pastries and eagerly waiting to dig in.
Notes
For chocolate variation add melted chocolate to the pastry cream. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 4 hours before serving. Pair with a glass of Moscato or Champagne for a festive touch.
Required Tools
Saucepan Mixing bowls Whisk Piping bags with large and small round tips Baking sheet Parchment paper Knife
Allergen Information
Contains Eggs Milk Wheat (Gluten) Butter (Dairy). May contain Traces of nuts if using shared equipment. Always double-check ingredient labels for allergens.
Save This recipe combines elegance with delicious flavor making it perfect for any special occasion.
Kitchen Questions
- → How do you shape the swan bodies and necks?
Pipe oval shapes for the bodies and S-shaped curves for the necks using choux pastry dough, then bake separately until golden and firm.
- → What is used to fill the swans?
A smooth vanilla pastry cream made from milk, egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, butter, and vanilla extract is used to fill the choux pastry bodies.
- → Can the pastries be prepared ahead of time?
Yes, you can bake and chill the components in advance, assembling shortly before serving to maintain freshness and texture.
- → What variations can enhance the flavor?
Adding melted chocolate to the vanilla cream creates a rich chocolate filling variation, ideal for different tastes.
- → How should these pastries be served for best results?
They’re best lightly dusted with powdered sugar and paired with sparkling wine like Moscato or Champagne for an elegant touch.