Crisp, light choux pastry buns enclose a luxurious ice-cream filling. Ice-cream puffs are a great prepare-ahead dessert loved by kids and adults alike.
The inspiration for this utterly fabulous dessert came from a friend – let’s call her Polly. While Polly was pregnant, she ate an entire box of frozen mini-eclairs, without waiting for them to thaw out first. She had no regrets…
Pregnancy excuses
You can get away with that sort of thing when you’re expecting. But it’s probably not the greatest idea under non-pregnant circumstances! Which let’s face it, is most of the time.
Fortunately, these delectable ice-cream puffs are on-hand when you need some frozen creamy choux pastry action. And there’s absolutely no compunction to eat the whole lot! Have one or two, share them around, and everyone’s a winner!
Ice-cream puffs – a summer treat
I first made these yummy ice-cream puffs last summer. My daughter Kipper and I went to visit ‘Polly’ (who is no longer pregnant!). We wanted to take something lovely with us as a treat, so knocked up a quick batch of choux pastry buns. We packed them into a tupperware box and took them on the train.
Upon arrival at Polly’s flat, we unpacked the proto-profiteroles onto a plate. Meanwhile Polly nipped downstairs to her local deli which had a highly convenient gelato counter. Mere moments later she was back, bearing two large tubs of delicious, creamy, chocolate and vanilla gelato. It was simple work to spoon it into the choux buns and devour them.
Repeat performance
Subsequently, I made another batch of these delectable ice-cream puffs for visitors. I even went to the trouble of drizzling melted chocolate over the filled profiteroles before serving.
I’m not sure the chocolate drizzle was worth the extra effort though – a simple mouthful of creamy ice-cream surrounded by crisp, light choux pastry is sufficient indulgence without any chocolate adornment. That’s my opinion, anyway. You are, as always, free to go crazy with the chocolate if that’s what floats your boat!
Ice-cream puffs – ingredients
To make these delicious ice-cream puffs, you won’t need any fancy ingredients or equipment. All you will need is:
- Plain flour (also called all purpose flour)
- Butter
- Water
- Eggs
- Ice-cream – I used vanilla but you can use your favourite flavour
You will also need a sieve, a saucepan, a baking sheet, an oven (obviously!), a sharp knife and a cooling rack. Plus something to scoop the ice-cream.
Choux pastry – easy peasy!
A quick note about choux pastry – People often seem to think it’s some kind of super-scary highly technical kitchen wizardry, far too complex and difficult for mere mortals to attempt. To this I say, “rubbish”.
Just follow the instructions in the recipe, and you will be rewarded with lovely choux puffs, all ready to fill with ice-cream. You can also fill them with whipped cream, chocolate mousse, and all sorts of other things. Let your imagination run wild!
Easy swaps – healthier desserts
Everything in moderation, right? So if you want the occasional ice-cream filled choux bun, go for it!
But if you’re wanting to reduce the sugar in these, there’ are a few swaps’s a quick swap you can make that will be just as delicious, but a little more nutritious. Instead of ice-cream, simply whizz up some frozen berries with natural yogurt in the food processor, then spoon the mixture into your buns – Yum! You’ll find more details about making this ‘almost instant’ frozen yogurt here.
Alternatively, you can make ‘nice cream’ by blending frozen bananas with the flavouring of your choice – caramel or chocolate both work well.
For more easy swaps for healthier food, get your free ebook here!
This made 20 small ice-cream puffs. You can make fewer larger ones if you prefer.
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📖 Recipe
Ice-cream puffs
Ingredients
- 75 g plain flour
- 150 ml water
- 60 g butter
- 2 eggs
- 400 g ice-cream, or thereabouts, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Grease and flour a baking sheet.
- Sift the flour onto a sheet of paper and set it aside.
- Heat the water and butter together in a saucepan until the butter is melted and the mixture is just boiling. Remove from the heat, tip in the flour in one go (whoosh!) and beat together vigorously until all the flour is absorbed.
- Return the pan to the heat and cook, stirring, until the mixture no longer sticks to the sides of the pan, but forms a soft ball of dough.
- Allow to cool slightly, then beat in the eggs, one at a time. The dough should take on a glossy, satin-like appearance.
- Pipe or dollop teaspoons of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 170°C (340°F) and bake for a further 20 minutes, until golden and crisp.
- Remove from the oven and immediately slit open each bun with a sharp knife, before leaving on a wire rack to cool – this allows the steam to escape and prevents the insides of the choux buns going soggy.
- Once cool, spoon a dollop of ice-cream into each choux bun, and pile onto a serving plate. Store in the freezer if not required straightaway – you can then serve them straight from the freezer.
Notes
Nutrition
More delicious frozen dessert recipes
Other delicious frozen desserts include
- vegan stem-ginger and coconut ice-cream
- muscat poached fruits with no-churn honey cake ice-cream
- vegan watermelon and coconut ice-lollies
I’m entering these ice-cream puffs into this month’s Treat Petite, hosted by Cakeyboi and The Baking Explorer.
Stuart
Thanks for taking the time to enter – a petite treat indeed!
What Kate Baked
Haha- what a brilliant story, poor Polly and her cravings! These sound the perfect end of summer cool treat
FFF
Thanks Kate! She made me use a pseudonym so she can’t be identified!!
These puffs are great in summer and a lovely ice-creamy treat all year round. You can keep them in the freezer and just scoff one or two when you need them 🙂