MASHLE - Cream Puffs
A Taste Explosion You Won't Forget!
Hello, fellow foodies and anime fans! I’m Kiki, a Japanese cook living in Germany. I moved to Germany with my family in 2018, and since then, I’ve been teaching both Japanese and international students how to cook Japanese food—both online and in person.
A few years ago, I started a project called “anime recipe," where I recreated dishes from anime and shared the joy of Japanese food and culture through these recipes. Even though I took a break from posting due to work commitments, I received so many DMs saying that people were waiting for the return of the anime recipe, which makes me incredibly excited to start again!
Every Thursday, I’ll be sending a new anime-inspired recipe to your inbox. If you sign up with your email, you’ll receive not only the recipe but also occasional columns about Japanese food and culture. You can access one free recipe per month, and the rest will be available to paid subscribers. Please make sure to sign up through the link in my profile! (And don’t forget to check your spam folder in case the email ends up there!)
Enough with the introduction, let's get to the main topic!
Today, we’re combining two of the best things: anime and Japanese sweets, with a spotlight on the "Shū Kurīmu" (Japanese cream puffs) featured in the anime series Mashle: Magic and Muscles.
In this newsletter, we’ll dive into cream puffs, an iconic dessert in Japan, and explore its delicious appeal. But it's not just about the food — we’ll also look at how Japanese anime brings food to life, and how you can recreate these tasty treats in your own kitchen. So, let’s embark on this tasty adventure together!
As many people know, cream puffs originated in France, where choux pastry is baked and filled with custard cream. However, when they arrived in Japan, they were adapted with various flavors, such as matcha, chocolate, and fruit creams. There are also variations like "cookie puffs," where a layer of cookie dough is added on top before baking. The cream puffs in Mashle: Magic and Muscles appear to be the more traditional, classic style.
Cream Puffs in Mashle
Mashle: Magic and Muscles is an action-comedy set in a world where magic reigns supreme, but our protagonist, Mash Burnedead, has no magic at all. Instead, he relies on his incredible physical strength to challenge his way through a magical school, aiming to prove that muscle power is just as good as magic.
In a world where magic is everything, Mash’s journey to earn respect and climb the ranks of powerful magic users is both hilarious and epic, blending comedy with intense action.
With his superhuman strength, Mash overcomes various challenges and defeating powerful wizards along the way. His secret? A relentless commitment to weight training! But there's one thing that rivals his passion for muscles — and that's his love for cream puffs.
Throughout the series, these delicious pastries make several appearances, becoming a symbol of Mash’s simple joys.
Fighting with a Cream Puff in his Pocket
Mash is often seen carrying a cream puff, and sometimes, he even fights with one in his pocket. After a battle, he makes sure his precious cream puff is still intact. When he's holding it carefully, you can tell he's probably not going all-out. But when Mash gets serious… what happens to the cream puff? Will it survive his full-strength punches? We can only imagine!
Give making Mash's favorite cream puffs a try! Get into the same mindset as Mash and enjoy the moment of biting into a delicious cream puff.
(for about 8 cream puffs)
[ Custard Cream ]
400ml (13.5 oz) milk
60g (2.1 oz) cane sugar or granulated sugar
30g (1 oz) all-purpose flour
4 egg yolks
1/2 vanilla bean
2 tbsp heavy cream (for finishing the custard cream)
[ Choux Pastry ]
50ml (1.7 oz) water
50ml (1.7 oz) milk
40g (1.4 oz) unsalted butter (salted butter is also fine, but omit the salt)
5g (0.2 oz) granulated sugar
A pinch of salt
60g (2.1 oz) all-purpose flour
3 whole eggs (about 150g / 5.3oz ; adjust based on the dough's consistency)
[ To Make the custard cream ]
In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until pale and thick. This helps prevent the eggs from curdling when adding the hot milk.
Stir in the flour gently, just enough to combine. Don’t overmix to avoid developing gluten.
In a pot, heat the milk with the vanilla bean (scrape the seeds and add both the seeds and the pod) until just before boiling. Slowly add a little hot milk to the egg mixture and whisk. Then gradually add the rest of the milk, mixing well. If using vanilla extract, add it now.
Pour the milk mixture through a fine sieve into the cleaned pot, discarding the vanilla pod.
Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. The custard will thicken quickly, so stir faster as it cooks. Once smooth and thick, remove from heat.
Spread the custard on a tray and cover with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. Let it cool, either on ice or at room temperature.
Note: For cream puffs, let the custard cool completely before using.Once cooled, transfer the custard to a bowl and stir until smooth. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of heavy cream and mix until smooth.
[ Preparation for Making Choux Pastry ]
Bring the eggs to room temperature and beat them well.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Weigh out all the ingredients in advance.
Fill a spray bottle with water. If you don’t have one, prepare a cup of water instead.
Fit a round piping tip onto your piping bag.
Preheat the oven to 200°C (about 392°F).
[ Making Choux Pastry ]
In a pot, combine the milk, water, butter, granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt. Heat until the mixture comes to a boil.
Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the all-purpose flour. Mix thoroughly with a rubber spatula until no dry flour remains.
Return the pot to medium heat and continue stirring to "knead" the dough. This should take about 1 minute. When you see a thin white film form at the bottom of the pot and hear a faint sizzling sound, remove from heat.
[Very Important!!] Remove the pot from the heat and gradually add the beaten eggs, mixing well each time. Work quickly! As Mash says, it's crucial to bake the dough while it’s still slightly warm. When the dough falls from the spatula and holds a triangular shape, it's ready. Depending on the consistency of the dough, you may not need to use all of the eggs.
Fit a round piping tip onto the piping bag and fill it with the dough. Pipe the dough into rounds about 4-6 cm (1.5-2 inches) in diameter, spacing them apart, as they will expand while baking.
Lightly spray the surface of the piped dough with water. If needed, gently press the peaks of the dough with your finger to smooth them out.
Bake in a preheated 200°C (392°F) oven for 20-25 minutes. During baking, cracks may form on the surface, but continue baking until the cracks are golden brown. Do not open the oven door before the cracks have a golden color, or the dough will collapse.
Once baked, transfer the choux pastries to a cooling rack or wire rack to cool. Once cooled, cut off the top third of each choux, fill with cream, and place the lid back on.
Just how many cream puffs does Mash eat in a day? We honestly have no idea, but it's clear he's totally obsessed with them. If anyone knows, drop a comment and let us know! And hey, Mash, I’ve got a question for you: "Do my cream puffs have what it takes to satisfy you?"
Interested in learning more about Japanese foods and food culture? Follow our page for recipes and the latest updates! Please feel free to leave your requests in the comments section, telling me which anime and which dishes you'd like to see featured.