Choux Pastry

1. Preheat oven: 450°F (230°C).
2. Make the dough: In a small saucepan, combine butter, water, and sugar. Heat over medium until butter is fully melted and the mixture just begins to boil. Remove from heat, add all the flour at once, and mix with a spatula until a dough forms and pulls away cleanly from the sides. Be sure there are no chunks of flour.
3. Dry the dough: Return the pan to medium low heat and mash the dough down with a spatula. Once you hear sizzling start a timer for 2 minutes. Cook the dough, mixing consistently until you start to see a film form on the bottom of the pan and the dough reaches 80 C. Depending on your pan, you may not see film form on the bottom but as long as the dough reaches 80 C the dough is ready. Transfer dough to a bowl over a scale. It should be 184-188 grams. Let cool for 3–4 minutes.
4. Incorporate eggs: Add 1/3 of the beaten eggs and mix with a spatula until smooth. Repeat 2 more times. Add lesser amount of eggs first. Once smooth, the dough should fall off the spatula when lifted in 3-5 seconds leaving a V shape.
5. Pipe: Transfer dough to a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe 16 mounds (about 16–17 g each) onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Smooth the tops out with damp fingers. Lightly brush some water on each one or spray with water.
6. Bake: Place tray in oven, immediately reduce temperature to 400°F (205°C). Bake for 20–24 minutes until puffed up and golden brown. Turn off the oven, open the door ones and close again. Allow them to cool in the oven, door closed for 15-20 minutes to continue drying.
7. Cool completely on a wire rack before filling.

Custard Cream

1. Heat milk mixture: In a small saucepan, combine milk, 20 ml heavy cream and vanilla beans. Heat until just steaming (do not boil).
2. Whisk egg base: In a bowl, whisk together yolks and sugar until pale in colour. Add in the cake flour and salt and mix until smooth.
3. Temper & cook: Slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the yolk mixture while whisking. Over a fine mesh sieve, return to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and smooth. Towards the end, switch to a spatula to scrape the pan for even cooking. Remove from heat and whisk in butter until melted in and smooth.
4. Chill: Transfer to a bowl (I like to do this over a fine mesh sieve for the smoothest custard), cover surface directly with plastic wrap, and place ice packs on top for quick cooling. Then cool completely in the fridge.

Diplomat Cream

1. Whip cream and sugar together to soft to medium peaks. Gently fold whipped cream into the chilled custard until combined. The texture should be looser than typical diplomat cream — it melts beautifully when frozen!

To Assemble

1. Poke a small hole in the bottom of each choux puff with a chopstick. Pipe the cream into each shell until it feels full. You may have some diplomat cream leftover, which is good so you can eat it with a spoon while you wait :). Freeze until firm (at least 2–3 hours). Serve right out of the freezer or thaw for 10 minutes and enjoy!!