Gluten-Free and Lactose-Free Profiteroles with Pastry Cream

Classic French pastry, but completely gluten-free and lactose-free. Making choux pastry without gluten requires the right technique and a reliable base. Thanks to our Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Blend, your choux buns (and eclairs) will have a beautiful structure, rise well in the oven, and have that delicious, authentic taste. Fill them with silky smooth pastry cream for the perfect result.

Ingredients
For the Pastry Cream:
500 ml lactose-free milk
70 g caster sugar (divided into 2 x 35 g)
½ vanilla bean (pulp and pod)
2 eggs (L)
25 g cornstarch
25 g vanilla pudding powder

For the Choux Pastry:
170 ml lactose-free milk
70 g vegan margarine
6 g caster sugar
2 g salt
100 g LaBour All-Purpose Flour Blend (sifted)
140 g eggs (approx. 2 to 3 eggs, whisked at room temperature)
1 egg (whisked, for brushing)

For the Chocolate Glaze:
160 g dark chocolate
2 tsp cocoa powder
30 ml water
130 ml lactose-free or plant-based whipped cream
100 g glucose

Equipment
Saucepan
Mixing bowls
Whisk
Wooden spatula
Baking tray
Piping bags
Piping nozzle (e.g., Wilton 8B)
Baking tray with parchment paper
Pastry brush
Fork

Method
1. The Pastry Cream
Combine the lactose-free milk, half of the sugar (35 g), vanilla pulp, and empty vanilla pod in a saucepan. Bring to a boil.
In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs with the remaining sugar (35 g) until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the cornstarch and vanilla pudding powder and mix until a smooth paste without lumps.
Pour a dash of the hot milk, stirring, into the egg mixture to temper it. Then pour everything back into the saucepan.
Bring the mixture back to a boil over low heat, stirring with a whisk. Let it boil briefly, stirring, until a thick, smooth pudding forms.
Remove the pan from the heat and pour the pastry cream onto a clean baking tray or large cutting board covered with cling film (this helps it cool quickly). Immediately cover the surface with a second layer of cling film, pressing it directly onto the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Let it cool completely in the refrigerator.

2. The Choux Pastry
Preheat the oven to 170°C (fan-assisted oven function). Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Heat the lactose-free milk, vegan margarine, sugar, and salt in a saucepan until the margarine has completely melted. Bring the mixture briefly to a boil.
Remove the pan from the heat and add all the sifted gluten-free flour at once. Immediately stir vigorously with a wooden spatula until the flour has absorbed all the liquid and a cohesive dough ball forms.
Return the pan to medium heat. Continue stirring firmly for 1 to 2 minutes to "bake dry" the dough. The dough is ready when it easily detaches from the sides of the pan (a thin, white/brown layer on the bottom is normal).
Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl and let it cool for about 5 minutes.
Now add the whisked egg to the dough little by little. After each addition, mix thoroughly with the wooden spatula until the egg is fully incorporated.

Note: gluten-free choux pastry looks a bit more crumbly and spreads less than traditional wheat dough. Do not add extra egg, as dough that is too wet will not rise well in the oven and may collapse after baking.

3. Piping Choux Pastry
Fill a piping bag (with a large star nozzle, e.g., Wilton 8B) with the dough. Pipe 2.5 cm rounds (for choux buns) or approximately 10 cm long strips (for eclairs) onto the baking tray.

For the choux buns only: lightly brush the tops with the whisked egg and gently flatten any peaks with a fork. This ensures an even rise.

4. Baking Choux Pastry
Bake the choux buns / eclairs for 35 minutes.
During baking, open the oven door a tiny crack (1 second) every 2 minutes to allow excess steam to escape. This helps them dry out nicely and prevents them from collapsing after baking.
Let the baked eclairs/choux buns cool completely on a wire rack.

5. Filling
Briefly whisk the cooled pastry cream until it is smooth again.
Fill a piping bag.
Make 1 hole at the bottom of the choux buns and 2 holes at the bottom of the eclairs and fill them with the pastry cream.
Finish the tops as desired with a chocolate glaze (see below) or a dusting of powdered sugar.

3. Chocolate Glaze
Place the dark chocolate and cocoa powder in a mixing bowl. Heat the water, whipped cream, and glucose in a saucepan until warm. Pour this warm mixture over the chocolate and mix until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap (directly on the surface) and let cool to 30–35°C (or until the chocolate glaze has thickened sufficiently).
Dip the choux buns and eclairs in the chocolate glaze and let them set on a wire rack.

Storage
- Always store filled eclairs in a closed box in the refrigerator and preferably consume within 24 to 48 hours.
- Empty, cooled choux buns can be stored airtight at room temperature for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month. Before serving, warm them in a preheated oven at 180°C (fan-assisted oven function) for 2-3 minutes to make them crispy again.