I still remember the first time I made this Tinker Bells Passionfruit Cream Puffs Recipe — my kitchen smelled bright, sweet, and slightly tropical the whole time. I loved watching the choux pastry puff up in the oven like little golden clouds. When I filled them with silky passionfruit cream, they instantly felt special and playful.
Every bite was light, tangy, and creamy at the same time. This recipe honestly made me feel like I was baking something magical, not just dessert. You can also enjoy similar sweet indulgences like the Easy Bourbon Chicken Recipe for a savory treat or try the Hot Honey Chicken Recipe for a sweet-spicy twist.
Ingredients
Each ingredient here plays an important role, so using good-quality basics really makes a difference.
Passionfruit Pastry Cream
- 2 cups whole milk – creates a rich, creamy base; avoid low-fat milk for best texture
- 4 egg yolks – help thicken the cream and give it a silky mouthfeel
- ½ cup granulated sugar – balances the tartness of passionfruit
- 5 tablespoons cornstarch – ensures the cream sets properly and pipes well
- 1 pinch salt – enhances overall flavor and cuts sweetness
- ½ cup passionfruit purée – fresh or thawed purée gives the best flavor
- 2 tablespoons butter – adds shine and smoothness to the cream
Choux Pastry (Cream Puffs)
- 1 cup water – creates steam for puffing
- ½ cup unsalted butter – provides richness and structure
- 1 pinch salt – keeps the pastry from tasting flat
- 1 cup all-purpose flour – gives the dough its shape
- 4 large eggs – essential for lift and hollow centers
Craquelin Topping
- ½ cup softened butter – helps create the crunchy top
- ½ cup brown sugar – adds sweetness and caramel flavor
- 1 cup all-purpose flour – forms the crisp shell
- Green gel food coloring – gives the fairy-inspired look
Filling and Decoration
- 1¼ cups heavy whipping cream – whipped for a light, airy filling
- Gold luster dust – adds a magical, decorative finish
Note: This ingredient quantity makes approximately 20–24 cream puffs, depending on size.
Variations
This recipe is easy to adapt depending on taste or dietary needs.
- Dairy-free option: Use coconut milk and dairy-free butter in the pastry cream.
- Lower sugar version: Reduce sugar slightly and rely on the natural tang of passionfruit.
- Flavor twist: Add lime zest or vanilla bean to the pastry cream.
- Chocolate lovers: Fold melted dark chocolate into the whipped cream for contrast.
- Fruit swap: Mango or raspberry purée works beautifully in place of passionfruit.
Cooking Time
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cooking Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: About 1 hour 10 minutes
Equipment You Need
- Saucepan – used to cook and thicken the pastry cream
- Mixing bowls – for preparing dough and cream
- Stand mixer or hand mixer – helps mix choux dough smoothly
- Wooden spoon – for stirring dough on the stovetop
- Baking sheets – hold the piped cream puffs
- Parchment paper – prevents sticking and burning
- Piping bags and tips – used for shaping and filling puffs
- Round cutter – cuts uniform craquelin discs
How to Make Tinker Bells Passionfruit Cream Puffs Recipe
This recipe may look fancy, but breaking it into steps makes it very manageable. Each stage builds flavor and texture.
Make the Passionfruit Pastry Cream
I start by heating the milk until steaming but not boiling. In a bowl, I whisk egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt until smooth. The hot milk is slowly added to temper the eggs, then everything goes back on the stove and cooks until thick. Once off the heat, I stir in passionfruit purée and butter, then chill it completely.
Prepare the Choux Pastry
Water, butter, and salt are brought to a boil in a saucepan. I add the flour all at once and stir until a smooth dough forms and pulls away from the sides. After cooling slightly, the dough goes into a mixer and eggs are added one at a time until glossy and pipeable.
Make the Craquelin Topping
Soft butter and brown sugar are mixed together until creamy. I add green food coloring, then flour to form a dough. It’s rolled thin between parchment paper and chilled until firm, making it easy to cut neat circles.
Bake the Cream Puffs
I pipe small rounds of choux dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Frozen craquelin discs are placed on top of each mound. The puffs bake until tall, golden, and crisp, then cool completely before filling.
Fill and Decorate
Whipping cream is beaten until stiff peaks form, then gently folded into the chilled passionfruit cream. I fill each puff from the bottom and finish with a swirl on top. A light dusting of gold luster dust gives them their fairy-inspired finish.
Additional Tips for Making This Recipe Better
These are a few things I learned after making this recipe myself:
- I always chill the pastry cream fully before mixing it with whipped cream.
- I let the baked puffs cool completely so they stay crisp after filling.
- I freeze the craquelin before baking to get that perfect crackled top.
- I pipe evenly sized puffs so they bake at the same rate.
How to Serve Tinker Bells Passionfruit Cream Puffs Recipe
These cream puffs look stunning on a dessert table. I like arranging them in a tiered stand or circular platter for visual impact. Edible flowers, powdered sugar, or extra gold dust elevate the presentation. They pair beautifully with tea, coffee, or sparkling drinks.
Nutritional Information
Each cream puff contains approximately:
- Calories: Moderate
- Protein: Low to moderate
- Carbohydrates: Moderate to high
- Fat: Moderate
(Values vary depending on portion size and ingredient brands.)
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing
Filled cream puffs should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoyed within 24 hours for best texture.
Freezing
Unfilled choux shells freeze well for up to one month. Thaw at room temperature before filling.
Reheating
To restore crispness, warm unfilled shells in a low oven for a few minutes, then cool before filling.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This recipe has quickly become a favorite in my kitchen because:
- It looks magical and impressive with minimal decoration.
- The passionfruit filling is perfectly balanced between sweet and tangy.
- The steps are simple when broken down.
- It’s versatile and easy to customize.
- It’s perfect for parties, celebrations, or special treats.
Tinker Bells Passionfruit Cream Puffs Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- I start by heating the milk until steaming but not boiling. In a bowl, I whisk egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt until smooth. The hot milk is slowly added to temper the eggs, then everything goes back on the stove and cooks until thick. Once off the heat, I stir in passionfruit purée and butter, then chill it completely.
- Water, butter, and salt are brought to a boil in a saucepan. I add the flour all at once and stir until a smooth dough forms and pulls away from the sides. After cooling slightly, the dough goes into a mixer and eggs are added one at a time until glossy and pipeable.
- Soft butter and brown sugar are mixed together until creamy. I add green food coloring, then flour to form a dough. It’s rolled thin between parchment paper and chilled until firm, making it easy to cut neat circles.
- I pipe small rounds of choux dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Frozen craquelin discs are placed on top of each mound. The puffs bake until tall, golden, and crisp, then cool completely before filling.
- Whipping cream is beaten until stiff peaks form, then gently folded into the chilled passionfruit cream. I fill each puff from the bottom and finish with a swirl on top. A light dusting of gold luster dust gives them their fairy-inspired finish.
Notes
- I always chill the pastry cream fully before mixing it with whipped cream.
- I let the baked puffs cool completely so they stay crisp after filling.
- I freeze the craquelin before baking to get that perfect crackled top.
- I pipe evenly sized puffs so they bake at the same rate.