Cream puffs
Instructions:
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Cream puffs stem back to French choux paste as much as our ail-American apple pie stems back to its early English counterpart. American cooks take liberties with the filling for cream puffs, filling them with vanilla pudding, fruit, ice cream, or whipped cream instead of fancy pastry creams.
- 1⁄2 cup water;
- 1⁄2 teaspoon granulated sugar;
- 1⁄8 teaspoon salt;
- 1⁄4 cup butter;
- 1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour;
- 2 eggs;
- 3 cups whipped cream, ice cream, vanilla pudding, or fruit for filling;
- Whipped cream for topping;
- Powdered sugar.
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- In saucepan, combine the water, granulated sugar, salt, and butter. Slowly bring to a boil, stirring to melt the butter. When mixture is at a rapid boil, stir in the flour all at once. Stir over heat for 30 seconds; remove from the heat and beat until smooth and thick, so that paste comes together in a ball. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until paste is smooth and shiny. Allow to cool 15 minutes.
- On lightly greased cookie sheet, divide paste into 6 portions, making ball-like rounds of dough about 3 inches apart. Bake 35 to 45 minutes, until puffs are golden and lightweight. Split puffs while hot to keep crisp.
- Just before serving, fill each puff with about l/2 cup of your choice of filling. Top with whipped cream and dust with powdered sugar.