Matcha Cream Puffs

Impress your friends and family with this matcha cream puffs with a bright strawberry sauce that cuts the earthiness of the matcha cream.

For this recipe, I incorporated matcha into both the choux pastry and the whipped cream but made sure that it wasn’t too heavy on matcha.

The dessert itself is light, not too sweet and is perfect for sharing at ladies’ brunch or family gatherings.

Notes:

• Baking the choux – the choux needs dry air to circulate around it. Don’t overcrowd the baking sheet and give them room to puff. Bake with the racks on the lower half of the oven so you can get crusting on the pastry.
• Roux Temperature – Make sure that the roux has time to cool before beating in the eggs. After ten minutes, it will still be warm to the touch but should not be so hot that it cooks the eggs. I tried this recipe with 5 minutes and 10 minutes cool time and found that it made a difference in the structure of the choux.

• Strawberry sauce – matcha goes well with any of the berries. Any berry can be used in place of the strawberries.
• Make ahead – The pastry can be made ahead of time. Pipe the uncooked pastry dough onto baking sheets and freeze them completely before storing them in a freezer bag and bake them from frozen state and add a few minutes to the lower temperature. The pastry can also be baked and filled before frozen, which makes it more convenient if you have to prep larger batches for a party or gathering. Store in airtight containers for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge for a few hours before serving.

Matcha Cream Puffs

Yields: 15-18 cream puffs
Time: 1.25 hour

Matcha Choux Pastry
1 cup (237 ml) water
1 stick (113g) unsalted butter
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon (12.5g) granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon (2.5g) matcha powder
1 tablespoon of confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Matcha whipped cream
1 ½ cup (355 ml) heavy whipping cream
¼ cup (30g) confectioners’ sugar
¼ teaspoon matcha powder
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Strawberry Sauce
½ lb. (230g) strawberries, hulled and chopped
1-2 tablespoons sugar, depending on sweetness of the strawberries
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional)

1. Make the strawberry sauce by combining the strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice (if using) in a small saucepan off the heat. Stir to ensure the cornstarch has been incorporated. Cook over medium heat until the strawberries have broken down, the mixture has thickened and is translucent and glossy. Turn off the heat. Blend until the mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool.
2. Preheat the oven to 425℉. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicon baking sheet.
3. For the matcha choux pastry, in a small bowl combine flour, matcha powder, salt, and granulated sugar. Mix well. Set aside.
4. To a saucepan over medium heat, add water and butter. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, add the matcha flour mixture all at once. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir vigorously until a ball forms and the flour mixture looks glossy, about 3-4 minutes.
5. Remove the flour mixture from the heat and transfer into a bowl. Let the mixture cool for 8-10 minutes. It should be warm to the touch, but not too hot.
6. Use a hand mixer to beat the eggs in one at a time. Making sure to scrape the bowl in between each addition. Beat the mixture for about a minute after the last addition until the dough is smooth and glossy.
7. Fill a pastry bag or a zip top bag. Cut one corner and pipe 1 ½ – 2-inch circles, spaced about two inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
8. Bake on the lower racks at 425℉ for about 10 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 375℉ and bake for an additional 18-20 minutes. Or until the choux are golden and a crust has formed on the outside.
9. Remove from the oven. Use a sharp knife to poke a slit in the choux pastry to allow the steam to escape. Cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring onto a wire rack and cooling completely.
10. While the pastry cools. Make the matcha whipped cream. Whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and matcha powder. Add to a large bowl with heavy whipping cream and vanilla extract. Using a hand mixer, whip together until you get stiff peaks.
11. To assemble, cut the top off of the cooled choux pastry, fill matcha whipped cream and top with the strawberry sauce. Replace the top of the pastry. Sprinkle with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar.
12. Enjoy!