Coconut Cream Puffs

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat oven and prepare sheetsOven 400°F / 205°C

   • Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
   • Line two 13×18-inch (33×46 cm) baking sheets with parchment paper.
   • Ensure the oven rack is positioned in the center.

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   Ready when: Oven reaches 400°F (200°C)

2. 2

   Make choux pastry base

   • In a medium saucepan, combine the cold water, cut-up butter, and salt.
   • Place over medium-high heat and stir occasionally until the butter is fully melted and the mixture comes to a boil.
   • Once boiling, remove from heat and stir in all the flour at once with a wooden spoon or whisk until fully incorporated and smooth.
   • The mixture will be quite thick and will leave the sides of the pan.
   • Let the dough cool for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally to release steam.

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   Ready when: Dough is smooth, thick, and cooled slightly

   Tip: Cool the dough adequately before adding eggs or the heat may scramble them

3. 3

   Beat in the eggs

   • Add the room-temperature eggs one at a time to the cooled dough, beating well after each addition using a sturdy whisk or wooden spoon.
   • The dough will look shiny and broken after the first egg, but continue beating—it will gradually come together into a glossy, thick paste that holds its shape but is still pieable.
   • This process takes 3-5 minutes total.

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   Ready when: Dough is glossy, thick, holds peaks, and is pieable

   Tip: Each egg must be fully incorporated before adding the next, or the dough will be grainy and dense

4. 4

   Pipe puffs onto sheets

   • Transfer the choux pastry to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch (13 mm) round tip.
   • Pipe mounds about 1.5 inches (4 cm) in diameter onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches (5 cm) apart to allow for puffing.
   • You should have 16-18 puffs.
   • If the pastry is too soft to hold its shape, chill the filled pastry bag in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before piping.

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   Ready when: All puffs are piped and evenly spaced on sheets

   Tip: If you don't have a pastry bag, use two spoons to drop heaping portions onto the sheets, though piping gives more uniform size

5. 5

   Bake puffs until goldenOven 400°F / 205°C

   • Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 25-30 minutes, until the puffs are golden brown and have puffed up considerably.
   • Do not open the oven door during the first 20 minutes of baking, or the steam inside will escape and the puffs may deflate or not puff fully.
   • The puffs are done when they feel light and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom with a wooden spoon.

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   Ready when: Puffs are golden brown, puffed, and sound hollow when tapped

   Tip: Resist the urge to open the oven door—the steam trapped inside is essential for proper puffing

6. 6

   Cool puffs and prepare filling

   • Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the puffs cool on the sheets for 5 minutes.
   • Transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely, about 30-40 minutes, while you prepare the filling.
   • Scoop the thick, solid coconut cream from the top of the chilled can into a mixing bowl (discard any watery liquid or reserve for another use).
   • In a separate large bowl, whip the cold heavy cream with the 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar using a hand mixer or whisk until stiff peaks form, about 3-4 minutes.
   • Gently fold the whipped cream into the coconut cream along with the vanilla extract and coconut extract (if using), stirring just until combined.
   • The filling should be light, fluffy, and uniform in color.

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   Ready when: Puffs are completely cooled and filling is light, fluffy, and well combined

   Tip: Fold the filling gently to preserve the light texture from the whipped cream—vigorous stirring will deflate it

7. 7

   Fill the baked puffs

   • Once the puffs have cooled completely, use a sharp serrated knife to carefully slice the top quarter off each puff.
   • Using a spoon or pastry bag, pipe or spoon about 2 tablespoons of the coconut cream filling into each puff.
   • Replace the sliced top gently.
   • Work carefully so the puffs don't crack.
   • Avoid pressing down on the puffs, as they're quite delicate.

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   Ready when: All puffs are filled and tops are replaced

   Tip: If the puffs are still slightly warm, the cream will melt; make sure they're completely cool before filling

8. 8

   Toast coconut and make glaze

   • In a small skillet over medium heat, toast the unsweetened shredded coconut for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until it becomes fragrant and light golden.
   • Be attentive—coconut can burn quickly.
   • Transfer to a plate to cool.
   • In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of milk, and the vanilla extract until smooth.
   • The glaze should be thin enough to drizzle but still coat a spoon; if it's too thick, add milk a teaspoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency.

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   Ready when: Coconut is fragrant and light golden; glaze is smooth and drizzleable

   Tip: Toasted coconut has vastly more flavor than raw coconut—this extra minute of effort is worth it

9. 9

   Glaze and serve

   • Drizzle about 1 teaspoon of the glaze over each filled puff.
   • Sprinkle generously with the toasted coconut.
   • Let the glaze set for 10 minutes at room temperature before serving.
   • For best flavor and texture, serve within 2-3 hours of assembly.

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   Ready when: Glaze is set and puffs are ready to serve

   Tip: Assemble these puffs no more than 3 hours before serving, or the cream will gradually soften the pastry shells