Lemon Mascarpone Cream Puffs

These golden little puffs filled with lemon mascarpone cream are a perfect addition to a dessert platter.

The puffs are made with a classic choux pastry. They can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container for up to a week, ready to be filled and served as you need.

The puffs can also be frozen, making them a great choice for entertaining a crowd.  Freeze unfilled puffs in sealed containers for up to 3 months.  All you need to do, then, is defrost and crisp them up again for 10 – 15 minutes in a moderate-high oven.  Cool, then fill.

For simplicity’s sake, I use store-bought lemon curd to fold through the mascarpone cream. It gives a beautiful, sweet tang.  Feel free to make your own if you like!

Lemon Mascarpone Cream Puffs

Crispy little choux pastry puffs filled with lemon mascarpone cream.

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Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 125 g unsalted butter
• 250 ml water
• 150 g plain flour, sifted
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder, sifted
• 4 eggs
• 250 ml cream
• 250 g mascarpone
• 3 tbsp caster sugar
• 65 g lemon curd
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• icing sugar, for dusting

Method

 

Make the Puffs

1. Preheat oven to 210°C. Line two oven trays with baking paper.
2. Put the butter and water into a medium saucepan and heat until the butter is melted and the mixture is boiling. Add the plain flour and baking powder all at once and stir quickly with a wooden spoon. Keep stirring until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the saucepan and forms a smooth ball. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs into the dough, one at a time, ensuring each egg is incorporated before you add the next egg. Beat until thick and glossy.
4. Place tablespoon size dollops of pastry onto the prepared oven trays, leaving 2 cm gap between each one. Place into the oven and cook for 5 minutes, then lower the heat to 180°C and cook for a further 35 minutes, or until puffed and golden.
5. Turn the oven off, use a knife to make a small slit into the base of each puff (this releases the steam), turn upside down and return to the oven for 20 minutes to dry out in the residual heat.
6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. At this point they can be frozen in airtight containers if desired (see note below).

Mascarpone Cream

1. Whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
2. Beat the mascarpone, sugar, curd and extract together until smooth. Fold in the previously whipped cream.
3. Cut the puffs in half and fill with the lemon mascarpone cream. Dust with icing sugar to serve.

Notes

Once puffs are cooked and cooled, they can be frozen (without filling).  Place into an airtight container and seal, freeze for up to 3 months.

When ready to use, allow to thaw to room temperature and bake at 170 C for 10 - 15 minutes to re-crisp.

Allow to cool, then fill as above.

Recipe from my book – Food for Sharing Italian Style, New Holland Publishers, Photo – Jonathan VDK