One of the things I love about cream puffs is how impressive they look. To most people, it looks like you must have spent hours in the kitchen preparing these little masterpieces, when in reality you spent very little active time making them! As I mentioned in my cream puff post, the dough only takes 5 minutes to make. Then it takes a couple of minutes to pipe out your puffs, and then you pop them in the oven for about 20 minutes (for the mini size) until they are golden brown. The filling only takes 5 minutes to whip up, and then filling the puffs is quick! I made all of the cream puffs the morning of the party, then made the lemon mascarpone cream filling at my parents house and filled cream puffs as we needed them throughout the evening.
When I piped these cream puffs out, I used a star tip with a medium size opening to give the finished cream puffs a bit of a textural design on their surface. I made the base about 1.25-inches in diameter.
To fill them, I used a narrow tip to poke a hole in the base of each puff, and then piped the cream in using a pastry bag fit with a tip with a slightly larger opening (this helps prevent all the air being pressed out of the cream, keeping it light and fluffy).
The finished puffs were absolutely delicious. The creamy sweet and slightly tangy lemon mascarpone cream tastes divine with the light and airy puff pastry. The only challenge is not eating them all before they ever make it to the table. An impressive dessert without any headache!
Print This Recipe
Cream Puffs Filled With Lemon Mascarpone Cream
Makes approximately 60 mini cream puffs
1 batch of mini cream puffs
1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
8 ounces mascarpone
5 ounces lemon curd
2. Make the cream filling: In a medium-size mixing bowl beat the cream and sugar until soft peaks form. Place the bowl in the refrigerator.
3. In a second medium-size mixing bowl stir together the mascarpone and the lemon curd until they are well blended.
4. Remove the whipped cream from the refrigerator and gently fold it into the lemon curd mixture until it is smooth and incorporated. If you accidentally overwork the mixture it will look grainy or like it is separating. To fix the filling, just stir in about 1 tablespoon of cream with a rubber spatula, and stir just until the mixture has smoothed out again. Place the finished cream in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to chill slightly.
5. Fill the cream puffs: When you are ready to serve the cream puffs, transfer the filling to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch round tip. Insert the tip of the pastry bag into the base of each puff and fill.
{ 48 comments… read them below or add one }
These are beautiful. You have made this look so easy…
@Miranda, Thanks! They are easy! :)
These look amazing! I’m definitely going to try your recipe, because the one I used for the Daring Baker challenge didn’t produce very impressive-looking puffs. Thanks!
Oh my. Cream puffs are delicious on their own, but with lemon mascarpone cheese? Sounds absolutely delicious.
Um I’m going to need 6 dozen of these for my birthday next weekend, k ; ) SWOON
@Paula – bell’alimento, LOL, mwah!
these look lovely! i love the addition of the lemon to give an added fresh flavor. yum!
You had me at lemon! I love any dessert that is lemon flavored and these look perfect. Easy enough for me, lol! I’m making them for sure. Lemon for me… maybe strawberry for the hubs. He hates lemon…sigh. Thanks for the recipe!
@Diana@Spain in Iowa, That just leaves more lemon filled ones for YOU! :)
They looks so yummy. I like your lemon mascarpone cream recipe. I have to try this at home.
Good luck to the graduate! These were a great way to start the celebration.
I love cream puffs, and lemon mascarpone sounds amazing!
So I’m pretty sure I could eat that whole bowl. These cream puffs look and sound absolutely delicious!
OMG! I love cream puffs but have always been afraid of trying to make them…Now I might have too…yeah!
They do look impressive! I love to make those kinds of things. Easy, but impressive! Perfect! It’s on my list!
These look like decadent little timbits.
You can’t eat just three….
@Steve, LOL, no I can attest to that! But no, I am not willing to admit how many I personally ate. :)
I love them too! These are SOOOOOOOOOOOO pretty. Love anything lemon. Almost.
Oh YUM! So small, and sweet. Great tip about using the medium star tip. I’ll be sure to give that a try. Of course ANYTHING with lemon gets made in this gals kitchen, so lemony cream puffs here I come.
Beautiful! Love the lemon and mascarpone together. I bet it tastes like heaven!
So beautifully done, Rachael! I wish I had some right now.
I LOVE your cream puff recipe. I made them twice in one week the first week of June. Once, just because and the other time for a friend’s going away party. Everyone loved them. Thanks for your inspiring and easy recipes!
Lemon mascarpone cream… heaven! These look beautiful.
Wohoo, creamy puffs like that. I can’t wait to have a bite. Mmm!
Your cream puffs are beautiful! I can NEVER seem to get my choux dough to bake up right! I really need to try try again and make it work :)
YUM! And that’s my favorite thing about cream puffs too…that they look like you spent forever on them. You’ve inspired me to try the star tips on mine next time…it adds just a little extra somthin’ to ’em.
You had me at lemon, too – but lemon and marscapone? Heavenly!
Gorgeous photos! And I really like the idea of using a star tip…not that I’ll be making these any time :) But I admire you for doing it.
I love cream puffs, and lemon mascarpone filling sounds divine!
Where do you get lemon curd from? Is it known by any other name? I’ve never seen it before. I’d love to make these for a party we are planning in mid-july!
@Kelly Azuma, I apologize for the late reply Kelly! I’m still catching up on comments that came in while we were traveling (we just got back last week)! I Googled lemon curd and discovered it is sometimes called “lemon spread” or “lemon butter.” I sometimes buy mine, but when I have a bit of extra time, I like to make it. Homemade lemon curd is SO delicious! There are tons of recipes on the internet, so you can find one that looks good to you!
I find my Dickinson Lemon Curd in the jelly and jam section of my local grocery store (Piggly Wiggly). Walmart does not seem to carry. You can also buy it on Amazon from multiple vendors including Dickensons.
You *do* make this look SO easy!!!!
What perfect little cream puffs! The lemon mascarpone filling is inspired.
I would love to have them stuffed with chocolate icing. Omg… this look amazing.
Wow Rachael , your cream puffs look like little pillows of heaven. So light and fluffy! I think you’ve convinced me to make these for my housewarming party (though two months away i gotta start plannin now!!) Do you think I could make the cream puffs ahead of time and freeze them?
@Joy, I apologize for the late reply Kelly! I’m still catching up on comments that came in while we were traveling (we just got back last week)! I haven’t ever tried freezing cream puffs, but I know people that have. They freeze them empty, when they’re still slightly warm. Lay them out on a wax paper lined baking sheet. Freeze them, and then when frozen, transfer the puffs to an airtight plastic bag or freezer container. When you are ready to use them, line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the frozen puffs on the cookie sheet and put in the oven to warm for 8 to 10 minutes, just until they have thawed and are slightly crisp on the outside. Immediately remove them from the oven to a cooling rack and let them cool completely before filling them and serving. I hope that helps!
These look INCREDIBLE! Are there any left? ;-)
Oh, these are so cute! Almost too cute to eat…almost. :D
I’ve been wanting to try cream puffing and you’ve finally convinced me. I wonder how a savory filling would work – maybe caprese flavors? Or do you think the sugar is essential to the filling’s body? Hmmmmm.
@julialikesred, Savoury fillings make FABULOUS cream puffs! Sometimes I make chicken salad, make extra large puffs, cut them open and spoon the chicken salad inside, like a cream puff sandwich. Caprese flavors would be delicious!
@Fuji Mama (Rachael), Thanks for the advice! Totally going to give caprese puffs a whirl. If they turn out scandalously delicious, I’ll come back and gloat ;D
These look amazing and so easy. I’d love it if you could come up with a vanilla version of this filling. Maybe cream, sugar, mascarpone, and vanilla bean paste (though I’m not sure about proportions)?
Oh my goodness!!! I’m speechless- I really am! Mascarpone filled puffs! I’m saving this and making it!!!
where are they available?
from which country are they?
Hello may i know the exact size of your piping tip please since there are more type of star tip opening type in thailand. I am afraid that i would finally bought the wrong one
Can you make these a day ahead of serving?
These look wonderful but ,the recipe didn’t read what degree the oven shoud be set on , i am assuming 350° , would that be correct?
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