Durian Puff Recipe

Prepare oven and sheet

Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Fit a large piping bag with a 1/2" round tip (or use a disposable bag and cut the end).

Make the choux dough

In a medium saucepan combine 1 cup water, 1/4 cup milk, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a rolling boil over medium heat, stirring so butter melts evenly.

Add flour

Remove pan from heat and immediately add 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until mixture forms a smooth ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan (about 30 seconds). Return to low heat and cook, stirring constantly, for 10–20 seconds to dry the dough slightly.

Incorporate eggs

Transfer dough to a mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl. Let cool 2–3 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time (use paddle or hand mixer) until fully incorporated and dough is smooth and glossy. The dough should be pipeable but hold its shape; you may not need the full 3 eggs or you may need a touch more—use quantity given, aiming for a thick ribbon when lifted.

Pipe puffs

Spoon dough into the piping bag and pipe 1 1/2–2 inch rounds, spaced 1 inch apart, onto the prepared sheet. Smooth any peaks with a wet fingertip to avoid excess browning.

Egg wash and bake

Whisk 1 egg yolk with 1 teaspoon cold water and brush the tops lightly. Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 10 minutes, then reduce oven to 180°C (350°F) and bake another 15–18 minutes until puffed and deep golden. Do not open oven while baking to prevent collapse.

Dry puffs

When baked, turn off oven and leave puffs in for 5–10 minutes with door ajar to dry slightly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before filling.

Prepare durian

Place 300 g ripe durian flesh in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Measure out the pureed durian — you should have about 1 to 1 1/4 cups. Reserve.

Heat milk

In a medium saucepan, warm 2 cups whole milk with 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt over medium heat, stirring, until just hot and sugar has dissolved (do not boil).

Mix eggs and starch

In a bowl whisk together 4 egg yolks and 3 tablespoons cornstarch until smooth and paler in color.

Temper eggs

Slowly drizzle about 1/3 of the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to temper. Then pour the tempered egg mixture back into the remaining milk in the saucepan, whisking continuously.

Cook to thicken

Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and comes to a gentle boil (about 1–2 minutes). Continue cooking 30–60 seconds while whisking to remove any raw starch taste. Remove from heat.

Finish pastry cream

Whisk in 2 tablespoons cold, diced unsalted butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth. Stir in the pureed durian until fully combined. Taste and adjust sugar or salt if necessary. For a silkier texture, pass the durian pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl.

Chill

Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent skin forming and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or until chilled and set).

Whip cream with cream cheese

If you prefer a lighter, aerated filling: beat 2 tablespoons softened cream cheese until smooth. In a chilled bowl, whip 1 cup heavy cream with 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar to soft peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese, then fold in 100 g pureed durian until uniform. Chill briefly before filling.

Combine with pastry cream (optional)

For a lighter but still rich filling, fold equal parts chilled durian pastry cream and stabilized durian whipped cream until homogeneous. This will make a more pipable and airy filling.

Prepare puffs for filling

Once choux shells are completely cool, use a small serrated knife to cut each puff in half horizontally, or poke a hole in the bottom/side of each puff (about 1/2") for piping).

Fill puffs

Spoon the chilled durian pastry cream (or the combined lighter filling) into a piping bag fitted with a medium round tip. Pipe the filling into the bottom halves or directly into the holes until puffs are generously filled (about 1–2 tablespoons filling per puff). Replace tops.

Chill and serve

Refrigerate assembled durian puffs for at least 30 minutes to let flavors meld. Serve chilled. Leftovers: store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; the choux will soften over time.

Optional garnish

Dust lightly with confectioners' sugar or pipe a small swirl of whipped cream and a tiny piece of durian on top just before serving.