Description
Indulge in a silky, rich dessert that captures all the charm of a cream puff—no piping bag required! Top each slice with a swirl of chocolate or white-chocolate curls for extra flair.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pastry Base
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
For the Filling
- 1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, softened
- 2 (3.4-oz) boxes instant vanilla or white-chocolate pudding mix
- 3 cups cold milk
- 1 (8-oz) container whipped topping, or 2 cups freshly whipped cream
To Decorate
- Chocolate syrup or white-chocolate shavings
Instructions
- Prep & Preheat
- Heat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Grease a 9×13″ baking pan; set aside.
- Cook the Choux-Style Dough
- In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring butter and water to a rolling boil.
- Lower heat to medium-low, add all the flour at once, and stir vigorously until the mixture pulls away from the pan sides and forms a smooth ball.
- Remove from heat and let the dough rest for 3–4 minutes.
- Incorporate the Eggs
- Transfer dough to a mixing bowl. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. The batter will transform from stiff to glossy and thick.
- Spread the finished dough evenly into your prepared pan.
- Bake & Cool
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until the crust puffs along the edges and turns golden.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool completely in the pan.
- Prepare the Filling
- In a separate bowl, whip the cream cheese until smooth.
- In another bowl, whisk pudding mix and milk until thickened. Fold the pudding into the cream cheese until fully combined.
- Assemble the Cake
- Pour the creamy pudding-cheese mixture over the cooled pastry.
- Smooth a layer of whipped topping (or fresh whipped cream) on top.
- Chill & Serve
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let the filling set.
- Just before serving, drizzle with chocolate syrup or sprinkle with white-chocolate curls.
Notes
Make-Ahead Tips
- Crust: Bake and cool the pastry. Keep it covered at room temperature for up to 24 hours.
- Filling: Store the pudding-cream cheese mix in an airtight container in the fridge.
- When you’re ready, simply layer the filling into the crust and top with whipped cream.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Chill Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts
Nutrition
- Calories: 307kcal
- Sugar: 11g
- Sodium: 250mg
- Fat: 21g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Carbohydrates: 21g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 95mg