Bignè Fritti alla Crema

Golden, airy, and irresistibly soft inside, these Italian Fried Cream Puffs are made from classic choux pastry, fried until beautifully puffed, then filled with silky homemade pastry cream and rolled in sugar.

They are the kind of old-fashioned Italian treat Nonna would fry one batch at a time while everyone waited nearby hoping to steal one while it was still warm.

Simple ingredients, plenty of pastry cream, and that unmistakable coating of crunchy sugar make these little bignè impossible to resist.

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Italian_Fried_Cream_Puffs_with_Pastry_Cream

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Cooling Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 2 hours
Servings: 16–18 cream puffs
Cuisine: Italian
Course: Dessert
Method: Fried

Ingredients

For the Pastry Cream

• 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk
• 4 large egg yolks
• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup (40 g) cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Finely grated zest of ½ lemon
• Pinch of salt

For the Bignè

• 1 cup (240 ml) water
• ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon fine salt
• 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature

For Frying

• Vegetable or peanut oil, as needed

For Coating

• About ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar

Instructions

1. Make the Pastry Cream

Pour the milk into a medium saucepan. Add the lemon zest and heat over medium-low heat until the milk is hot but not boiling.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until pale and creamy.

Add the cornstarch and whisk until completely smooth.

Slowly pour about one-third of the warm milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly.

Pour everything back into the saucepan with the remaining milk.

Cook over medium-low heat, whisking continuously, until the cream becomes thick and smooth, about 3–5 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and cover the surface directly with plastic wrap so a skin does not form.

Let cool completely, then refrigerate until needed.

2. Prepare the Choux Pastry

Place the water, butter, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan.

Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, allowing the butter to melt completely.

Add the flour all at once.

Immediately stir vigorously with a wooden spoon.

Continue cooking and stirring for about 2 minutes, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan and forms a smooth ball. You should notice a thin film forming on the bottom of the saucepan.

Remove from the heat.

Let the dough cool for about 5–10 minutes.

3. Add the Eggs

Add the eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition.

At first the dough may look separated, but keep mixing until each egg is completely incorporated before adding the next.

The finished dough should be smooth, glossy, and thick enough to slowly fall from the spoon in a wide ribbon.

Depending on the size of your eggs, you may not need every last drop of the fourth egg. The dough should hold its shape and should not become runny.

4. Heat the Oil

Pour about 2½–3 inches (6–7.5 cm) of oil into a deep, heavy saucepan.

Heat to approximately 325–335°F (165–170°C).

The oil should not be excessively hot. These bignè need time to expand and cook through before becoming too dark outside.

5. Fry the Bignè

Using two teaspoons, carefully drop small portions of dough into the hot oil.

Do not make them too large—the dough expands considerably while frying.

Fry only a few at a time so they have plenty of room to puff.

Cook for approximately 5–7 minutes, turning them occasionally, until deeply golden and puffed on all sides.

The bignè may naturally turn themselves as they expand.

Transfer them to a tray lined with paper towels.

Continue until all the dough has been fried.

6. Coat with Sugar

While the bignè are still slightly warm, roll them generously in granulated sugar.

Allow them to cool completely before filling.

7. Fill with Pastry Cream

Transfer the chilled pastry cream to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip.

Make a small opening in the side or bottom of each bignè.

Pipe in a generous amount of pastry cream until you feel the puff becoming heavier and the cream begins to reach the opening.

Alternatively, slice each bignè partially in half and spoon the pastry cream inside, like the ones in your photo.

Nonna’s Tips 👵

Keep the oil temperature moderate

If the oil is too hot, the bignè will brown quickly but remain raw and heavy inside. 325–335°F (165–170°C) gives the dough enough time to puff properly.

Fry small portions

Remember that choux pastry grows dramatically during frying. A heaping teaspoon of dough is usually enough for each bignè.

Don’t overcrowd the pan

The bignè need room to expand and move around in the oil. Fry them in small batches.

Let the dough cool before adding the eggs

Adding eggs to piping-hot dough can partially cook them. Five to ten minutes of cooling is enough.

Fill them close to serving time

The bignè are at their best when the outside is still slightly crisp and the pastry cream is cold and silky.

Lemon makes the cream taste unmistakably Italian

Vanilla alone works beautifully, but a little fresh lemon zest gives the pastry cream that traditional flavor found in many old-fashioned Italian pastries.

Variations

Lemon Cream Bignè

Add the finely grated zest of one whole lemon to the pastry cream.

Chocolate Pastry Cream

Stir about 3½ oz (100 g) finely chopped dark chocolate into the hot pastry cream after cooking.

Diplomat Cream

Fold whipped cream into completely chilled pastry cream for a lighter filling.

Powdered Sugar

Instead of rolling the bignè in granulated sugar, leave them plain after frying and dust generously with powdered sugar immediately before serving.

How to Store Fried Cream Puffs

Unfilled bignè are best eaten the same day but can be kept at room temperature for several hours.

Once filled with pastry cream, refrigerate them in a covered container and consume within 1–2 days.

They will gradually soften in the refrigerator, so for the best texture, fill them shortly before serving.

Can I Make Them Ahead?

Yes.

Prepare the pastry cream one day ahead and keep it refrigerated.

The choux pastry can also be prepared a few hours before frying and kept covered in the refrigerator.

For the best results, however, fry and fill the bignè on the day you plan to serve them.

Nutrition Facts

Nutrition values are approximate and will vary depending on the amount of oil absorbed and pastry cream used.