Noon Khamei, Persian Cream Puffs

This is Elsa’s favourite. Noon khamei are small choux buns split open and filled with whipped cream, unlike their European and American counterparts. Every Iranian pastry shop sells them by the kilo. They turn up at birthdays and on Nowruz visits.

Iranian bakers flavour the cream with rosewater and a little cardamom. The shells use the same choux pastry as French profiteroles. Once the dough is right, the rest is easy.

A piping bag with a plain or star nozzle makes neat, even shells. Use it again to fill them.

Noon khamei ingredients

Makes about 30 small puffs. Allow an hour and a half, including cooling.

For the choux shells

• 120ml water
• 120ml whole milk
• 100g unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• A pinch of salt
• 140g plain flour, sifted
• 4 medium eggs, beaten (about 200g)

For the cream

• 400ml cold double cream
• 3 tbsp icing sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp ground cardamom
• 1 tsp rosewater, or to taste

How to make noon khamei

1. Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Line two baking trays with baking paper.
2. Put the water, milk, butter, sugar and salt in a saucepan. Heat until the butter melts and the liquid comes to a full boil.
3. Take the pan off the heat. Tip in all the flour at once and beat hard with a wooden spoon until a smooth ball forms.
4. Return the pan to a medium heat. Keep stirring for one to two minutes. A thin film will form on the base of the pan. This dries the dough.
5. Move the dough to a bowl and leave it for five minutes. Beat in the egg a little at a time. Each addition must disappear before the next goes in.
6. Stop when the dough is glossy and falls from the spoon in a thick V shape. You may not need all the egg.
7. Spoon the dough into the piping bag. Pipe mounds about 3cm wide, 4cm apart. Smooth any peaks with a wet finger.
8. Bake for 20 minutes without opening the door. Turn the oven down to 180°C (160°C fan) and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes. The shells should be deep golden and feel light.
9. Pierce the side of each shell with a skewer to let the steam out. Turn the oven off and leave the shells inside with the door ajar for 10 minutes. Cool them completely on a rack.
10. Whip the cream with the icing sugar, vanilla, cardamom and rosewater until it holds firm peaks. Taste and add more rosewater if you like.
11. Split each shell almost in half with a serrated knife. Pipe in a generous swirl of cream. Close the lid gently.
12. Serve within two hours, while the shells are still crisp.

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Why noon khamei collapse

Shells that sink after baking came out too early. The outside sets before the inside dries. Bake until they are deep golden and light in the hand. Piercing them lets the last steam escape.

How to keep noon khamei

Filled puffs go soft within a few hours. Unfilled shells keep in an airtight tin for two days. Crisp them in the oven for five minutes at 180°C, cool, then fill.

Noon khamei means cream bread. Noon is the Persian word for bread, and khameh means cream.

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