Tieguanyin Cream Puffs with Orchid Glaze
Light choux pastry filled with Tieguanyin-infused pastry cream and topped with a delicate orchid-vanilla glaze—floral, creamy, irresistible.
These cream puffs capture everything magical about Tieguanyin in a single bite. The pastry cream is steeped in the tea until it takes on a gentle orchid-floral flavor and a pale jade tint that looks as beautiful as it tastes.
The choux shells are classic French technique—light, crisp, and hollow enough to hold a generous swirl of tea-infused cream. The contrast between the airy shell and silky filling is what makes cream puffs irresistible.
A simple orchid-vanilla glaze drizzled over the top adds sweetness and a floral perfume that amplifies the tea's natural character. A sprinkle of crushed pistachios gives color and a nutty crunch.
Serve these at afternoon tea or as a dinner party dessert. They can be assembled up to 2 hours ahead and kept refrigerated—the shells stay crisp and the cream stays luscious.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- 1.5 cups whole milk
- 3 tbsp Tieguanyin oolong tea leaves
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Crushed pistachios for garnish
How to make it
- 1Heat milk until just simmering. Add tea leaves, cover, and steep 15 minutes. Strain and press leaves. Reserve infused milk.
- 2For pastry cream: whisk sugar, cornstarch, and egg yolks. Slowly pour in warm tea-infused milk while whisking. Cook over medium heat until thick (3–4 minutes). Stir in 1 tsp vanilla. Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface and refrigerate.
- 3For choux: preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Bring butter and water to a rolling boil. Add flour all at once and stir vigorously until dough forms a ball.
- 4Transfer dough to a bowl. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, until dough is smooth and glossy.
- 5Pipe or spoon mounds onto a lined baking sheet. Bake 25–30 minutes until golden and hollow-sounding when tapped. Cool completely.
- 6For glaze: mix powdered sugar, 2 tbsp milk, and 1/2 tsp vanilla until smooth.
- 7Slice puffs in half, fill with pastry cream, replace tops. Drizzle with glaze and sprinkle with crushed pistachios.
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