Cream puffs: choux pastry filled with vanilla pastry cream lightened with whipped cream

Put the whole milk and the half cup of heavy cream in a medium pot.

Split the vanilla bean, scrape the seeds into the milk and cream. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat with a narrow whisk, stirring occasionally so nothing scalds.

Whisk the granulated sugar, salt and cornstarch together until there are no lumps.

Separate six egg yolks into the sugar mixture and whisk to a light yellow pastel colour.

Take the milk off the heat as soon as it boils and let the vanilla infuse while the eggs are finished.

Temper: drizzle half a cup of the hot milk into the yolk mixture while whisking, then add more, then drizzle in the rest.

Strain the mixture back into the pot to catch the pods, any scalded milk and any egg bits.

Cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly from the centre outward, until it thickens and gives big slow burps rather than bubbles.

Off the heat, whisk in the tablespoon of cold butter until melted, which gives the custard a silky mouthfeel.

Variation: fill the shells with plain whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream instead of pastry cream.

Variation: flavour the custard with melted chocolate, passion fruit puree or spices.

Transfer to a bowl, press cling wrap or parchment onto the surface so no skin forms and chill two hours to overnight.

Variation: fold whipped cream into the pastry cream for creme diplomate, which lightens it and makes more filling.

Heat the oven to 425F.

Measure the water and the flour and cut the butter into tablespoon pieces before starting; the choux moves fast.

Put the water, sugar, salt and butter in a medium pot and bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.

Off the heat, dump in the flour and stir about a minute until it forms a ball and pulls away from the pot.

Return to medium heat and cook the flour for one minute more, stirring, until it forms more of a ball and stops sticking.

Transfer to the stand mixer with the paddle and mix on medium low two minutes to cool it, otherwise the eggs will cook.

Add the eggs one at a time, cracking each into a bowl to check for shell and scraping down between, until the dough is thick but falls slowly and gracefully from the beater without breaking.

Transfer to a piping bag; an open star tip gives the choux more control as it rises and cracks less than a round tip, but both work. Do not overfill the bag.

Pipe mounds about two inches across and an inch high onto parchment lined rimmed baking sheets, holding the tip about an inch above the surface, squeezing then stopping and twisting to release.

Dip a finger in water and press down the piped spires, which would burn, so each is a dome.

Bake at 425F for 20 minutes until puffed and golden.

Pull them out, poke holes in the side to let the steam escape and return them to the 425F oven for three more minutes to crisp and dry.

Transfer straight to a wire rack and cool completely so they do not go soggy. Baked shells keep three days; re-crisp at 300F for about 10 minutes.

Whip the cup of heavy cream, increasing to high, until it holds peaks that are not too stiff, finishing by hand with a whisk to avoid overwhipping it to butter.

Whisk the chilled pastry cream to loosen it, then fold the whipped cream in with a spatula until no streaks remain.

Transfer the filling to a piping bag with a medium closed star tip.

Cut each puff like a sandwich, pull out any soft strands inside, pipe cream into the middle and close it.

Finish with a dusting of powdered sugar. Best within a few hours; leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge up to two days.