Windbeutel (German Cream Puffs)

Windbeutel are cream puffs made with choux pastry but in German, they can be filled with just cream – or my personal favorite, ice cream!!!

What are Windbeutel?

Windbeutel are simply larger versions of a classic cream puff in German. You can fill them with either ice cream to make ice cream sandwiches or lightly sweetened whipped cream for a more classic cream puff.

How long do Cream Puffs keep?

Cream puffs are best immediately after they have cooled but they will keep stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.

How do I keep my cream puffs from collapsing?

The key to keeping the cream puffs from collapsing they need to dried out properly. This happens during and after baking. They need to be baked long enough that they are fully baked inside and then dried out after baking. I recommend leaving them in the oven with the heat off for 10 minutes with the door cracked and then poking holes in the bottom to release the steam.

Additional Recipes to try:

• Espresso Schaumrolle | Espresso Cream Rolls
• Spaghettieis | German Spaghetti Ice Cream
• Vanillekrapfen | Sweet Cream filled Rolls

Tips for making Windbeutel

• Once you add the flour to the hot butter, water, and salt – stir IMMEDIATELY and forcefully. You need to work the flour into the liquids and cook the raw flour.
• When adding the eggs I recommend first whisking them in a container with a spout – this will make it easier to add the right amount of egg because you won’t always need all of the eggs.
• During the baking process, do not open the oven! You need the steam in the oven to help the choux pastry puff!

Ingredients

• Butter: Unsalted butter will work best for these, it can be cold or room temperature.
• Water: Regular tap water or filtered water will work.
• Sea Salt: Sea salt is finer and less “salty” tasting than regular table salt and is best for baking.
• AP Flour: All purpose flour is what most people consider to be “normal” flour it can be bleached or unbleached.
• Eggs: Standard large eggs will work for this recipe.

Fillings + Toppings

• Ice cream: I like to use an ice cream with a fruit swirl or a sorbet but you can use any ice cream!
• Whipping Cream: Heavy whipping cream or heavy cream should be cold to make the best whipped cream filling or topping.
• Powdered Sugar: Powdered sugar or confectioners’ sugar is best to add to the whipped cream to sweeten it slightly.
• Vanilla: Vanilla extract adds a little flavor to the whipped cream.

How to make Windbeutel?

• Preheat the oven to 425 F and place a rack in the middle of the oven.

Prepare the base dough

• Measure out the flour in a small bowl and set aside.
• In a medium sauce pot, add in the butter, water and salt.
• Heat over medium heat until just simmering. Briefly stir so that the water and butter are combined.
• Remove from the heat and immediately dump all of the flour in at once.
• Use a wooden spoon to stir the dough together for about a 1 minute and 30 seconds. Once the dough starts to form a smooth ball, start stirring and mashing it more forcefully.
• Return the pot to medium low heat and cook while stirring and mashing for another minute and a half. You should see steam coming out of the pot.

Make the Choux

• Once cooked, place the dough into the bowl of a stand mixer and set it aside.
• Crack the eggs into a bowl or cup, ideally one with a spout for easier pouring.
• Briefly scramble the eggs with a fork so that they are now one homogenous mixture. You’re not trying to whip air into them, only combine the egg whites and egg yolks.
• Use the paddle attachment on the mixer to beat the cooked dough fo 4-5 minutes on medium low speed. This will help cool the dough before adding the eggs in.
• Leave the mixer running and gently pour 1/4th of the egg mixture in.
• Increase the speed of the mixer to medium and mix until the egg has been fully combined into the dough.
• Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Then repeat the process of adding egg and mixing but you may not use all of the egg! The best way to know is to stop mixing and pull the paddle out of the batter slowly -it will stretch briefly and then break off in a V-shape. If it breaks immediately and makes a jagged edge, you need more egg.

Pipe the Cream Puffs

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. *I do not recommend using a silicone baking mat for these.
• Add a large star tip to the end of a piping bag, then scoop the mixed choux pastry into the piping bag. Squeeze the choux down to the end of the bag and then twist the bag between the choux and the empty space – this will make it easier to pipe.
• Depending on how much egg was used, this will make 6 or 7 3″ windbeutel. To pipe the cream puffs, start from the inside and swirl out to the desired size, then lift the bag slightly, but the tip should still be in the pastry that you just piped, and swirl back in to the center.
• Lift the piping back and stop squeezing to stop the choux from coming out.
• Repeat the piping, 5 or 6 more times being sure to space them out! If they are too close they won’t bake properly and are more likely to collapse.
• Dip your finger in a small bowl of water and press down the end of the piping on each cream puff so that it lays flat otherwise it is likely to burn.

Baking + Drying

• Place the baking sheet with the piped pastries into the preheated oven. Bake for 10 minutes.
• Then, reduce the oven temperature to 350 F (don’t open the oven) and bake for another 20-25 minutes until golden brown on top.
• Once baked, turn off the oven and lightly crack the door open for 10 minutes. I usually put a wooden spoon in the door to help it stay open.
• Remove the pan from the oven and use a wooden skewer to poke about 5 holes in the bottom of each cream puff and leave them upside down/on their sides to let the steam out.
• Leave them to cool and dry out fully before storing or filling.

Filling + Topping

• Once cooled and dried, use a serrated knife to cut off the top of each pastry.
• Fill with either a slightly sweetened whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream.
• Dust with powdered sugar and optionally top with more whipped cream and fresh berries!

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