I love to mark an anniversary – and admit it, we all need a few more things to celebrate these days. I can’t believe it’s been a full three years since officially finishing the project and making Ina’s Boston Cream Pie with Our Lady of East Hampton herself!
It still doesn’t feel real! We’re celebrating this special day with a twist on Boston Cream Pie: Boston Cream Puffs! While you won’t find this in any of Ina’s books, it’s really a non-Ina Ina recipe, as each element comes from her recipes just combined into a new form! The puffs are from Ina’s recipe in “Barefoot in Paris,” and the Grand Marnier pastry cream and chocolate glaze come from her Boston Cream Pie recipe.
I only made two adjustment: halving the chocolate glaze (the puffs and cream make the perfect amount) and sprinkling with some flakey sea salt.
OMG these were good! The hint of orange in the cream is *chef’s kiss* and there’s plenty to fill those puffs. It was a dreamy way to celebrate cooking with the person who taught me everything I need to know in the kitchen!
Rating: 5/5
How Easy Is That: Intermediate
Store-Bought Is Fine: heavy cream
Pricey Ingredients: —
Hard-to-find: —
BOSTON CREAM PUFFS (a loose guide to making)
Ingredients
- 1 batch baked cream puffs, recipe here.
- 1 batch Grand Marnier Pastry Cream, recipe here.
- 1/2 batch Chocolate Glaze, recipe here.
- Flakey sea salt
Directions
Prepare the Cream Puffs: Once the baked cream puffs have fully cooled to room temperature, use a chopstick or small paring knife to poke a small hole in the center of the bottom of each puff.
Fill the Cream Puffs: Fit a pastry bag with a small round tip and fill it with the Grand Marnier pastry cream. Insert the tip into the hole and gently squeeze until the cream puff slightly expands—this indicates it is fully filled. Be careful not to overfill, as the cream may burst through the pastry.
Glaze and Garnish: Arrange the filled puffs on a serving platter or cake stand. Using a small spoon or piping bag, drizzle each puff with the chocolate glaze. While the glaze is still wet, lightly sprinkle each puff with flaky sea salt.
Set and Serve: Let the cream puffs sit at room temperature for about 1 hour to allow the chocolate glaze to set.
Enjoy: Serve immediately and enjoy! These are best eaten fresh—preferably over a plate, as they are generously filled with cream.
