Silken Black Sesame Choux
If you love desserts that combine elegance with unique flavours, you’ll adore this Black Sesame Cream Puffs with Black Sesame Crème Pâtissière. This recipe is a perfect example of fusion baking, where classic French technique meets nutty, toasty Asian flavours.
The result is light, airy choux shells filled with smooth, rich black sesame pastry cream—each bite offering a delicate balance of crisp pastry and luscious filling. Whether you’re looking to impress at a special occasion or simply treat yourself, these cream puffs are both sophisticated and approachable, making them a standout addition to any dessert table.
Why You’ll Love these Black Sesame Cream Puffs
- Fusion of Flavours: Classic French choux pastry meets nutty, toasty black sesame for a unique and sophisticated dessert.
- Light & Airy: The choux shells are crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, creating the perfect texture contrast.
- Silky Filling: The black sesame pastry cream is smooth, rich, and delicately sweet, complementing the crisp pastry perfectly.
- Elegant Yet Approachable: These cream puffs look impressive but are surprisingly easy to make at home.
- Versatile Dessert: Perfect for special occasions, afternoon tea, or simply to impress friends and family.
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Ingredients in this Black Sesame Cream Puffs Recipe
- Water & Milk – Provide moisture to create steam during baking, which helps the choux puff rise and become light and airy.
- Unsalted Butter – Adds richness, flavour, and helps create a tender, delicate texture in the pastry.
- All-Purpose Flour – Provides structure to the dough, allowing it to hold its shape while puffing in the oven.
- Sugar – Adds a subtle sweetness and helps with browning for a golden finish.
- Salt – Enhances flavour and balances the sweetness of the pastry.
- Black Sesame Seeds – Give a nutty aroma and flavour, as well as a visually appealing topping.
- Eggs – Provide structure, moisture, and richness; they also help the dough rise and give it elasticity.
Tips for Making the Best Black Sesame Cream Puffs
- Measure ingredients accurately – Baking is precise, so use a kitchen scale for flour, butter, and liquids.
- Cook the dough properly – After adding flour to the water-butter mixture, cook until a thin film forms on the pan bottom to remove excess moisture.
- Cool the dough slightly before adding eggs – Adding eggs to hot dough can scramble them; slightly cooled dough ensures smooth incorporation.
- Add eggs gradually – Incorporate eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, to achieve the right dough consistency.
- Test the dough – The dough is ready when it forms a smooth “V” shape when lifted with a spatula or beater.
- Pipe evenly – Use a round piping tip and pipe uniform mounds for even baking and consistent size.
- Smooth the tops – Dip a fingertip in water to gently smooth pointy tops for even puffing.
- Do not open the oven early – Sudden temperature changes can cause the puffs to collapse.
- Dry the interior – After baking, pierce each puff to release steam, then return to the oven briefly to ensure a crisp, hollow interior.
How to Serve these Black Sesame Cream Puffs
- Fresh & Same-Day: These choux puffs are best served on the day they’re made to enjoy their crisp exterior and creamy filling.
- Plating: Arrange them on a decorative plate or tiered stand for an elegant presentation.
- Optional Garnishes: Sprinkle extra black sesame seeds on top or dust lightly with icing sugar for added visual appeal.
- Accompaniments: Serve alongside tea, coffee, or a light dessert wine to complement the nutty, toasty flavour of the black sesame cream.
- Portioning: Serve individually or in pairs, allowing each guest to enjoy a full, creamy puff.
How to Store these Black Sesame Cream Puffs
- Short-Term Storage: Keep the filled choux puffs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1–2 days. The pastry may soften over time, so it’s best to enjoy them as fresh as possible.
- Unfilled Choux Shells: Store baked but unfilled choux shells in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days, or freeze for up to 1 month. Re-crisp in a low oven before filling.
- Freezing the Cream: The black sesame pastry cream can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2–3 days. Do not freeze cream, as it may separate when thawed.
- Assemble Before Serving: For best texture, fill choux puffs with pastry cream just before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can bake the choux shells a day in advance and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. Fill them with pastry cream just before serving for best texture.
Absolutely! Store-bought black sesame paste can be used instead of making your own. Adjust sweetness as needed.
Common reasons include: not cooking the flour mixture long enough, adding eggs to hot dough, or opening the oven door during baking.
Yes. Unfilled baked choux shells freeze well for up to 1 month. Re-crisp them in a low oven before filling. Filled puffs are best eaten fresh.
All-purpose flour works best for structure. You can use dairy or plant-based milk, but it may slightly affect texture and flavour.
Cool your milk slightly before adding to the egg yolks, and whisk constantly when cooking. Avoid high heat to prevent curdling.
Yes! Just maintain the ratios of ingredients and pipe smaller or larger mounds as desired. Adjust baking time accordingly.
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Black Sesame Cream Puffs
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 2 hours 20 mins
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Pastry
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Asian, French
Description
These Black Sesame Cream Puffs with Black Sesame Crème Pâtissière is a perfect example of fusion baking, combining French technique with nutty Asian flavours. Light, airy choux shells are filled with smooth, silky black sesame cream, offering a rich, toasty flavour with delicate sweetness.
Ingredients
For Black Sesame Choux Puffs
- 75 ml water
- 50 ml milk
- 50 g unsalted butter
- 75 g all-purpose flour (sifted)
- A pinch of sugar
- A pinch of salt
- 2 tbsp black sesame seeds
- 2 eggs + 1 egg (spare) – beaten
For Black sesame créme pâtissiére (pastry cream)
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 20 g all-purpose flour
- 50 g caster sugar
- 200 ml milk
- 70 g black sesame paste (see below for homemade paste, or you can use store-bought)
For Black Sesame Paste
- 1/2 cup black sesame powder
- 1 3/4 tbsp honey (adjust to taste)
Instructions
Make the Black Sesame Choux Puffs
- Preheat the oven to 190 ℃ fan (375℉) and line a baking sheet with a sheet of parchment paper.
- In a saucepan, combine the water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter is fully melted and the mixture comes to a boil. Remove from the heat.
- Add the flour all at once and stir vigorously until the mixture forms a cohesive dough. Return the pan to medium-low heat and continue stirring until a thin film forms on the bottom of the pan. Remove from the heat.
- Transfer the dough to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld mixer). Allow the dough to cool slightly before proceeding.
- Gradually add the beaten eggs, mixing on medium-low speed after each addition until fully incorporated. The dough is ready when it passes the “V-test”: dip the beater into the dough and lift it— the dough should hang down in a smooth V-shape.
- Fill a piping bag fitted with a 15 mm round tip and pipe uniform mounds of dough, approximately 3–4 cm in diameter, onto the prepared baking sheet. Apply even pressure while piping, then release pressure and swiftly flick or twist the tip to achieve a clean cutoff.
- Moisten your fingertip with water and gently smooth the pointed tip on top of each piped mound to ensure even baking.
- Evenly sprinkle black sesame seeds over the top of each piped mound.
- Bake in the preheated oven at 190 ℃ fan (375℉) for about 20 – 25 minutes or until they turn golden brown and puffed up.
- Once baked, remove the choux puffs from the oven and pierce each one with a skewer or small knife to release steam and dry the interior.
- Return the puffs to the oven and bake for an additional 5–10 minutes. After baking, turn off the oven and leave the door slightly ajar, allowing the choux pastries to cool completely inside.
Make the Black Sesame Pastry Cream
- Place the black sesame powder and honey into a food processor. Pulse several times until a smooth paste forms. Start with 1 tablespoon of honey and adjust as needed to achieve a smooth consistency. Alternatively, store-bought black sesame paste can be used.
- In a saucepan, combine the milk and vanilla extract. Gently heat over medium heat until it reaches a boil. Remove from the heat and allow the milk to cool slightly.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the sugar into the egg yolks until fully dissolved. Add the flour and mix until fully incorporated and smooth.
Gradually pour the slightly cooled milk into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from scrambling. - Return the entire mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking continuously until the mixture thickens into a smooth custard.
- Remove from the heat and transfer the pastry cream to a heat-proof bowl. Cover the surface directly with cling film to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until fully set before use.
Assemble the Cream Puffs
- Combine the black sesame paste with the chilled pastry cream, mixing until smooth and fully incorporated.
- Transfer the black sesame pastry cream into a piping bag fitted with a 15 mm French star tip.
- Slice the top off each choux puff. Pipe the pastry cream into the cavity, filling it completely. Pipe a decorative swirl on top of the cream if desired, then replace the puff top.
- These cream puffs are best served on the day they are made to enjoy optimal texture and freshness.
Notes
- Gradually add the eggs to the choux pastry dough until it reaches the right consistency and passes the “V-shape” test. Watch the video for a visual guide on how the dough should look.
Final Thoughts
These Black Sesame Choux Puffs with Black Sesame Crème Pâtissière are a perfect example of fusion baking, blending delicate French technique with rich, nutty Asian flavours. Light, airy choux shells paired with smooth, toasty black sesame cream create a dessert that’s both elegant and approachable.
While the recipe may seem intricate at first glance, focusing on the details and following each step carefully makes it surprisingly manageable. Each stage has its purpose, and seeing the dough come together, piping the puffs, and filling them with silky cream is both enjoyable and satisfying. I encourage you to try it—you’ll be rewarded with a beautiful, delicious dessert that’s not only a show-stopping treat for special occasions but also incredibly rewarding because you made it yourself.
Thanks for joining me in the kitchen today. Hope you’ll love this! Enjoy and keep baking! 💛
