Royal Soup or Cream Puff Soup

Zuppa Reale o Minestra con Bignè

Emilian soup with hot broth and small, golden, soft, and delicate cream puffs.

4 servings

Easy

Emilia Romagna

EasyEmilia Romagna

Royal soup, also known as cream puff soup, is a warm and hearty dish in which the broth becomes the clear base for small, soft bites. It is suitable for a first course Serve piping hot when you want a simple soup with a distinctive texture: the cream puffs, baked in the oven, remain puffy, dry, and delicate, while the broth complements the flavor without overpowering it. The technique requires careful attention, especially in shaping the dough, which must be smooth and well-developed before cooking. Butter, eggs, and flour form a light paste, which is then dipped into the boiling broth just before serving. This recipe is considered a traditional dish from Emilia-Romagna. The name recalls "marzipan" and "minestra con cream puffs," expressions related to a type of puffed pasta found in Italian cuisine.

Instructions

Voice reading

7 steps · natural Italian voice

Prepare the base

Bring to a boil a deciliter of water in a saucepan and melt the butter. Pour in the flour all at once and stir vigorously to eliminate any lumps. Cook while continuing to stir. the mixture until it becomes compact and smooth; then remove it from the heat and let it cool before adding the eggs.

Incorporate the first egg

Beat an egg well and add it to the now cooled base. Mix carefully until the egg is completely absorbed and the mixture until the mixture becomes uniform. Don't add the next egg until no liquid or streaks are visible.

Complete the dough

Beat the second egg and gradually incorporate it into the mixture. Work until you obtain a fluffy, smooth and homogeneous preparation, consistent enough to maintain its shape once distributed on the baking sheet.

Shape the small cream puffs

Butter one baking sheet Place small portions of dough on top, keeping them about three centimeters apart. Spread them evenly so that all the puffs cook at the same time.

Bake in the oven

Bake it baking sheet In the preheated oven at (392°F) 200 °C. Cook until the choux pastry is well risen and golden brown on the surface: the colour must be uniform and the structure visibly dry, without any pale or still yielding areas.

Dry and cool

Remove the choux pastry from the oven and transfer it to a clean cloth, letting it dry and cool. Wait until the heat has dissipated and the surface is dry before adding it to the broth, so it will better retain its texture.

Serve in broth

Bring the beef or chicken broth to a boil and pour it piping hot into a bowl with the cream puffs. Serve the soup immediately, still steaming, to preserve the contrast between the hot broth and the soft texture of the marzipan.

Chef's Tips

The editorial staff recommends incorporating the eggs one at a time, waiting for the first one to be completely absorbed: thus the mixture it remains fluffy, homogeneous and suitable for forming choux pastry.