I made these hojicha strawberry cream puffs as a combination Valentine’s Day/Chinese New Year dessert, but these puffs can be made any time. I always think of cream puffs as such a fun little baking project for a weekend; as I mentioned in my last cream puff post, even kids can help make them! And they are always a showstopper for a party. My favorite cream puff filling is the classic whipped cream-with-strawberries, but I felt like getting a little creative this time.
Hojicha has been one of my favorite teas lately. It’s a roasted Japanese green tea; the roasting process turns the leaves from green to reddish-brown. Roasting also gives hojicha a warm, toasty, nutty flavor, in contrast to the bright grassiness of matcha. Strawberry and matcha have been a popular flavor combination in drinks and desserts, so I thought combining hojicha and strawberry would be a nice spin. You can get hojicha loose tea leaves for brewing, but for baking I would use powdered hojicha like this.
I used my cream puff recipe as a starting point and made a couple changes. First, using craquelin (a crisp cookie layer) on top of the puffs is my favorite way to make cream puffs. It gives them that extra bit of crunch and texture, and helps keep them from going soft. Adding in hojicha powder to the dough also gives this additional flavor.
Instead of whipped cream, I made a strawberry pastry cream lightened with whipped cream as the cream puff filling. Although it takes a bit longer, I think the intensity of the strawberry cream is worth it. I think though, in order to balance out the hojicha and strawberry flavors more, I would have a layer of the strawberry pastry cream filling, topped with a layer of whipped cream that has hojicha powder added. Next time…but I’m passing on this tip to you readers now!
I topped the puffs with a sprinkling of confectioner’s sugar and a strawberry rose in honor of Valentine’s Day. Wishing you sweetness and warmth as we finish out this winter!
Hojicha Strawberry Cream Puffs
Ingredients
Strawberry Pastry Cream
- 12 oz strawberries
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar
- 1 cup (230 g) whole milk
- 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
- 3 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons (14 g) cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Craquelin
- 1½ ounces (43 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup (50 g) all-purpose flour
- 3 tsp hojicha powder
Pâte à Choux Dough
- ½ cup (115 g) whole milk
- ½ cup (115 g) water
- 4 ounces (110 g) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces
- ¾ teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (140 g) all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
Crème Légère
- strawberry pastry cream from above
- 2 cups whipping cream
- 3 tbsp confectioners' sugar
- Few drops food coloring as desired
Instructions
For the strawberry pastry cream:
- Process the strawberries in a food processor until they are a smooth puree.
- Combine the strawberry puree with the lemon juice and sugar in a medium saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat until reduced by about half. Strain into a container and let cool.
- Combine ¾ cup (172g) of the milk with half of the sugar in a small saucepan. Heat on the stove over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved and bubbles appear on the edge of the pan.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the egg yolks and 3 Tablespoons (44g) sugar in a bowl.
- Whisk the cornstarch and remaining ¼ cup (46g) milk in a small bowl and then add to the egg yolk mixture, whisking to combine.
- Pour the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from cooking.
- Return the entire mixture to the saucepan. Stir in the strawberry puree and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Scrape the pastry cream into a bowl, press a piece of plastic wrap to the surface, and refrigerate until needed.
For the craquelin:
- Place butter, brown sugar, flour, and hojicha powder and process until combined and smooth.
- Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll the dough to about ⅛" thick.
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator while you make the cream puffs.
For the cream puffs:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- Combine milk, water, butter, sugar and salt In a heavy bottomed medium saucepan and heat on medium high.
- Once the mixture is at a rolling boil, add all of the flour at once, reduce the heat to medium and start to stir the mixture vigorously with a wooden spoon. The dough should come together into a ball.
- Continue stirring for another 3-4 minutes until it is completely smooth and soft.
- Transfer the dough into a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat to cool it down slightly. Add in four eggs one at a time, beating after each egg has been added to incorporate it into the dough. The dough should be very thick and shiny but not liquidy.
- Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a 1 inch plain tip. Pipe out mounds of dough about 2 inches wide and inch high on the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart.
- Take out the craquelin dough from the refrigerator. Using a round cookie cutter about the same diameter of the puffs, cut out circles of the dough and set them on top of the puffs.
- Bake in oven for about 40 minutes, rotating halfway through. The puffs should turn golden brown and be dry to the touch. It's easier to underbake than to overbake; make sure they are dry before taking out.
- Place sheet on a wire rack and let puffs cool before slicing in half. Pull out any underbaked bits still inside.
To finish the cream puffs:
- Place whipping cream, confectioner's sugar, and food coloring as desired in a stand mixer bowl fitted with whisk attachment.
- Whip the cream in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the strawberry pastry cream.
- Place whipped cream into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip.
- Fill bottom halves of puffs with whipped cream. Place cream puff top halves on the cream. Serve immediately.
Anita Chu, also known as pastrygirl, is a baker, writer, and photographer with a passion for pastry. She trained at Tante Marie's Cooking School and is the author of Field Guide to Cookies, Field Guide to Candy, and Lollipop Love. Anita lives in San Francisco with her husband, daughter, and dog Max. 
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