One of my all-time favorite desserts so naturally it had to make an appearance. This version is both grain-free and dairy-free, yet still just as satisfying.
Yields: 24 cream puffs
Bavarian Cream
2 pastured egg yolks
1/3 c (35°F). organic full-fat coconut milk
½ lemon, juiced
2 T. raw honey (or ½ c. Date Paste)
2 T. tapioca starch
1 t. vanilla extract
pinch sea salt
1 ½ c. organic coconut cream, chilled
Cream Puff
½ c. filtered water
1 T. organic virgin coconut oil
½ t. sea salt
¼ c. tapioca starch
¼ c. potato starch
2 pastured eggs
Chocolate Glaze
4 oz. (113.4 g) 100% cacao paste/liquor, chopped
2 T. organic virgin coconut oil
2 t. organic grade B maple syrup (optional)
Directions:
Make the cream: combine egg yolks, coconut milk, lemon juice, honey, tapioca starch, vanilla and sea salt in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium low heat, whisking frequently until mixture thickens, about 5-10 minutes. Move to the refrigerator until cool, about 1 hour.
Place the chilled coconut cream in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Place the bowl in the freezer for 5 minutes. Remove and whisk on high speed until coconut cream stiffens (about 60 seconds) and holds its shape when scooped. Remove from the stand mixer and add chilled cream to the bowl by gently folding the two together, careful not to deflate the mixture too much. Scoop the cream into a large zip-top bag, twist tight and refrigerate until filling cream puffs, minimum 15 minutes.
Make the cream puffs: preheat oven to 450F (230°C). Have ready a half sheet pan lined with parchment. Combine the water, coconut oil, and salt in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until butter is melted. Add tapioca and potato starch, mix quickly. The mixture will tighten, pull away from the sides, and get difficult to mix.
Dump into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on high until cooled, about 2 minutes. Move the speed to medium and add the eggs, one at a time. Move the speed back to high and mix until dough becomes smooth and pale yellow. It will be sticky and a little runny.
Scoop dough into a zip-top bag, twist tight and snip a small bit off the tip of the bag, about ¼.” Pipe 12 2” circles onto the pan. Cook for 10 minutes at 450F (230°C). Lower temperature to 350F (180°C) and cook for 20 more minutes. Do not open oven while the puffs are cooking. Remove from the oven and move puffs to a cooling rack. Move the oven temperature back to 450F (230°C) and repeat with the remaining 12 puffs. Cool puffs completely before filling.
Make the glaze: mix all chocolate glaze ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Once chocolate is melted, remove from heat. Set aside.
Assemble the puffs: using a sharp knife, cut the puffs in half. Remove the Bavarian Cream from the refrigerator and snip a bit off the tip, about ½.” Fill each puff with cream and cap, as shown in the picture. Drizzle with Chocolate Glaze. Enjoy immediately or let sit for a bit for a softened puff. Best stored in the refrigerator.
More Recipes You'll Love
Bavarian cream puffs with chocolate drizzle are grain-free and dairy-free, yet every bit as indulgent as the bakery classic. Crisp choux shells built on tapioca and potato starch are filled with a cloud-light coconut cream and finished with a glossy cacao glaze. Make the cream a day ahead and assembly takes minutes.
Pro Tips
- Do not open the oven while the puffs bake - the 450F to 350F temperature drop is what hollows the shells, and a blast of cool air deflates them.
- Chill the mixing bowl in the freezer for 5 minutes before whipping the coconut cream; warm cream will never stiffen into foldable peaks.
- Cool the shells completely before filling or the trapped steam turns the cream runny inside.
- Fill the puffs the day you serve them - assembled puffs soften noticeably overnight.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the Bavarian cream ahead of time?
Yes, it keeps a day in the fridge in its sealed piping bag and the flavor actually settles overnight. Give it a gentle whisk before filling.
Why did my cream puffs go flat?
Usually an oven door opened mid-bake or choux dough that was undermixed; beat until the dough is smooth and pale before piping.
Is the chocolate drizzle dairy-free?
It already is - the glaze is just cacao paste, coconut oil, and maple syrup, so nothing needs swapping.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- Make the cream: combine egg yolks, coconut milk, lemon juice, honey, tapioca starch, vanilla and sea salt in a medium saucepan.
- Heat over medium low heat, whisking frequently until mixture thickens, about 5-10 minutes. Move to the refrigerator until cool, about 1 hour.
- Place the chilled coconut cream in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
- Place the bowl in the freezer for 5 minutes.
- Remove and whisk on high speed until coconut cream stiffens (about 60 seconds) and holds its shape when scooped.
- Remove from the stand mixer and add chilled cream to the bowl by gently folding the two together, careful not to deflate the mixture too much. Scoop the cream into a large zip-top bag, twist tight and refrigerate until filling cream puffs, minimum 15 minutes. Make the cream puffs: preheat oven to 450F. Have ready a half sheet pan lined with parchment.
- Combine the water, coconut oil, and salt in a saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat until butter is melted.
- Add tapioca and potato starch, mix quickly. The mixture will tighten, pull away from the sides, and get difficult to mix. Dump into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Mix on high until cooled, about 2 minutes. Move the speed to medium and add the eggs, one at a time. Move the speed back to high and mix until dough becomes smooth and pale yellow. It will be sticky and a little runny. Scoop dough into a zip-top bag, twist tight and snip a small bit off the tip of the bag, about ¼. ” Pipe 12 2” circles onto the pan.
- Cook for 10 minutes at 450F.
- Lower temperature to 350F and cook for 20 more minutes.
- Do not open oven while the puffs are cooking.
- Remove from the oven and move puffs to a cooling rack. Move the oven temperature back to 450F and repeat with the remaining 12 puffs.
- Cool puffs completely before filling. Make the glaze: mix all chocolate glaze ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring frequently.
- Once chocolate is melted, remove from heat.
- Set aside. Assemble the puffs: using a sharp knife, cut the puffs in half.
- Remove the Bavarian Cream from the refrigerator and snip a bit off the tip, about ½. ” Fill each puff with cream and cap, as shown in the picture.
- Drizzle with Chocolate Glaze.
- Enjoy immediately or let sit for a bit for a softened puff. Best stored in the refrigerator.
