Freezing filled cream puffs

[AnnieWilliams]

Today I was asked to make some cream puffs for a co-worker's wedding. Sure, no problem. The issue: she is getting married four hours away and she tells me they need to be frozen so she can transport them. I told her I would look into it.

I understand the shells won't be crisp and I don't think she really cares about that so much. I am just concerned with using a filling that won't separate. Should I use stabilized whipped cream to fill or should I use an actual pastry cream and lighten it with whipped cream? The last thing I want is for these to get watery and gross. If anyone has any ideas for filling that won't separate I would appreciate it.

Thanks!

[Lisbet]

I made Cream Puffs for my grandson's christening. Ifilled them with Bavarian Cream. After the party there were some of the cream puffs left over, so we froze them. When we removed them from the freezer, the shells were no longer crisp. However, the filling inside had turned into icecream,,,,,,,so it was still a tasty dessert.. (Could drizzel with chocolate sauce, or any fruit sauce.)

[AnnieWilliams]

That's good to know Lisbet. Did you use a scratch recipe for the Bavarian cream?

[rasputina]

Actually I used to buy frozen eclairs that were made at a local bakery and they were great. I've made them homemade before so I know what they taste like fresh. I would serve them cold though.

[Querencia]

Transporting and holding cream puffs is already problematic, as posters have shown. So I hate to ask this but, it's a wedding---are we also talking about a large quantity of cream puffs? How many are you committed to make? And I have another question. Are these to be large size cream puffs, as in one constituting an entire dessert to be eaten from a small plate with a dessert fork, or small bite-size cream puffs to be eaten out of hand?

[AnnieWilliams]

Thanks for your replies, and thank you grey for the cool idea.

The wedding is small from what I understand-only about 40 guests, and she's also having wedding cake. She just wanted something that was a little lighter in case someone didn't want cake. I was planning on doing about 100 or so (small) that could be put on a plate and eaten with a fork.

I don't know her very well (I am not invited) and I don't want to send her down the road with something that is not fully assembled. That is just something extra for her to worry about.

I know Costco sells them and they are not that bad. Why are those able to be frozen? I guess they are not using a true choux pastry?

I can try to play around with it and see how it turns out. Like I said, I don't think she really cares about them being crisp. The main thing I was worried about was finding a filling that wouldn't get watery when thawed. I'm still open for suggestions if anyone has any. :)

Thank you all again for your help!

[hotoynoodle]

you're not even invited, yet you are going through all this? you get a gold star for being a very nice person.

good luck.

[AnnieWilliams]

Well she heard that I do a lot of baking and cakes, and that's why she asked me. I didn't give her a definite answer as I had a feeling there might be an issue.

Thanks again for your help!

[hotoynoodle]

i'm sorry, but i don't see how you can freeze filled cream puffs. the choux dough will be so soggy by the time they defrost, all your effort will be for naught.

you can bake the shells and put in a ziploc, keeping the pastry cream separate, in a cooler, to transport. then fill the shells on site.

[greygarious]

Go to your supermarket's frozen dessert section. You'll find them there. Not saying that the texture is optimal, just that this is routinely done. I agree that on-site assembly would be preferable, but day-old choux pastry will have lost its crispness whether or not it's been filled.
An idea for the OP: If you are up for an experiment, try baking a small trial batch using virgin coconut oil as at least half the fat. If you keep the puffs chilled, I think this will give you a crisper effect, since this type of oil is liquid at 78 degrees but really hard when chilled. Because I live alone, when I make a fruit crisp with all butter, only the first serving's topping is crispy. By the end of the week, the last serving is topped with oatmeal mush. But when I use VCO, the topping remains crunchy.