GIANT State Fair Cream Puffs Recipe

August 10, 2020Van

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour

Serves: 8

If you’re reminiscing about the delicious Giant Cream Puffs that are famous at the Wisconsin State Fair, this is the recipe for you! They are well worth the effort, the pastry is perfect puffed and crisp, the whipped cream is thick, creamy and piped mile high for one of the best treats you will ever have!

GIANT State Fair Cream Puffs Recipe

August 10, 2020 Van

Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour

Serves: 8

Giant Cream Puffs like the ones you can get at the Wisconsin State Fair

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Ingredients

1 Cup All-Purpose Flour (125 grams)
4 Large Eggs
1 Stick Unsalted Butter (4oz)
1 Cup Water
1½ Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
¼ Teaspoon Salt
¾ Teaspoon Ammonium Bicarbonate / Baker’s Ammonia, (optional, but do not substitute this with baking powder/soda. This gives it a higher rise and a crispier texture - note that it’s normal for it to release an ammonia smell when baking, the ammonia burns off by the end of baking)
Large 21 in x 15 in Baking Sheet

Stabilized Whipped Cream

32 oz Heavy Whipping Cream (4 Cups), needs to be very cold
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
⅓ Cup Vanilla Instant Jell-O Pudding Mix, (this stabilizes the whipped cream)

Method

1)
Preheat oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place 1 Stick of Unsalted Butter, 1 Cup of Water, 1½ Tablespoons Sugar, ¼ Teaspoon Salt into a sauce pan. Heat on medium until it starts to boil, then turn the heat to low. Add 1 Cup of All-Purpose Flour and stir quickly and vigorously with a sturdy spatula for about 2 minutes. The dough should come together and pull away from the pan.
2)
Place the dough into a mixing bowl and use the paddle attachment. Mix on Medium speed for about 2 Minutes, this will help cool down the dough. Add the 4 Large Eggs one at a time while mixing on medium speed, sprinkle in ¾ Teaspoon Ammonium Bicarbonate when you add the last egg and scrape down the bowl. Mix on medium until the dough looks smooth and satiny, it should run off the beater smoothly. There is enough dough for 8 giant cream puffs, scoop a ¼ Cup of batter for each puff onto the baking sheet, leave about 2.5 inches of space between each puff.
3)
Bake at 425°F for 20 Minutes, then lower the temp to 350°F for 40 Minutes – do not open the oven door at any point while baking. The tops should be golden brown and crackled. Turn off the oven, crack open the oven door and leave the puffs inside the oven to cool off for 30 minutes. Place them onto a wire cooling rack to completely cool before piping the cream. Use a sharp bread knife to cut each puff in half.
4)
If your house is warm, place the mixing bowl and whisk attachment into the refrigerator for 10 minutes. Add 4 Cups of very cold Heavy Whipping Cream into your mixing bowl. Mix on High until it starts to thicken & form soft peaks. Add 1 Cup of Powdered Sugar, 1 Tablespoon of Vanilla Extract and ⅓ Cup of Vanilla Instant Jell-O Pudding Mix, continue to mix on high until you get stiff peaks, it should look light and fluffy. Use an extra large open star tip 0.6” or bigger (I used an Ateco #828) with a pastry bag. Pipe the cream generously and high onto each puff bottom – this is the perfect amount for 8 giant cream puffs. Dust the tops with powdered sugar and serve immediately or you can refrigerate these for a day, but the pastry will turn soft in the fridge. Enjoy!