Cream puffs, dream puffs!

OK, so the buildup to this particular blog was sort of ridiculous.  You know, the whole, to give over the secret recipe or not to give over the recipe thing.  Here is what I decided.  I decided to write a new recipe!  In fact, I may like this new recipe better than my secret recipe! 

 

I LOVE cream puffs.  Wait, let me call them their technical name, real chefs call them, "profiteroles".  This dough is also called "pate a choux".  You can use it to make eclairs too!   Profiteroles are traditionally filled with ice cream.  I am not personally a HUGE fan of ice cream, which I realize is unAmerican at best, but it is true.  You can fill them with pastry cream, sweetened whipped cream, drizzle with caramel, chocolate or dust powdered sugar over the top.  Truth is though, I hold the powdered sugar.  Some of you may be able to sympathize, some may not but, we, well endowed girls, well we know where the powdered sugar always ends up!

 

 

Regardless of how you top it, it's the shell and filling to me that make the entire cream puff experience totally and utterly dreamy.  (you know because that is all there IS a cream puff, duh) Most dough recipes are written so that the cream puffs can be used as a sweet or savory delivery system.  (You can fill them with chicken salad, tuna salad, any salad or cheese mixtures, and warmed).  Since I know which I am using them for when I make them I have altered my recipe to fit my tastes.  I like my dough slightly sweetened when being used to fill with a sweet filling.  Keep in mind as you follow the recipe, I will note what to omit for a savory cream puff. 

 

1 cup water

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter

pinch of salt

1 packet of sweet and low, or 1 tbsp sugar (omit for savory)

1 tsp vanilla (omit for savory)

1 cup flour

4 eggs

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.  Bringing water, butter, salt and vanilla just to a boil.  Take off heat and all at once add the flour.  Stir until dough comes together almost like a ball.  Let stand for 10 minutes.  If you choose to not wait for it to cool, you risk scrambling your eggs when you add them to the hot dough mixture.  So JUST DO IT.  WAIT!  Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing each in completely before adding the next.  It might take a minute for the flour to start to absorb the egg and it will seem slimy but trust me, it will work.  Your dough should make 12 large cream puffs.  If you make smaller ones, which I do, use a 1 inch cookie scoop.  You will obviously get substantially more.  Scoop on to a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake.   For the large cream puffs bake at 30-35 minutes, for the small, bake for 25 minutes. (ish)

 

Here is what you will come up with...

 

 

 

Aren't they a thing of beauty?  Let them cool completely before you move on to the next step.  This is the point where you clean up, cause that dough makes a mess!!  So clean 'er up kids before you move on!!

 

Now for the filling.  Like I mentioned, some people use just plain pudding or whipped cream.  Here is a recipe I came up with and it is delish!

 

Vanilla Filling

1 8oz. pkg cream cheese (softened)

1 small container of whipped topping

2 small pkgs INSTANT vanilla pudding

3/4 cup cold milk

 

Using a stand or hand mixer, combine all ingredients.  Mix on high for a 1 minute and then whip for 2 minutes to "fluff it up."  You may need more or less milk, depending on your preference.  I like a light, fluffy, but creamy filling.  Put filling into a piping bag and pipe into a little "hole" in the side of the cream puff or cut the top off and spoon fill and replace the top.  I usually pipe my filling, however, I am addicted to piping so.....!  This time I cut the top off, and spoon filled them, replacing the tops when done. 

 

 

So even though you may think they are labor intensive and hard to make, cream puffs are a cinch.  They are a quick and easy dessert.  They can easily be turned into the perfect hors d'oeuvre's.  Please take the time to try them, you will see how delicious and fun they are!!

 

Now to go finish filling these up so my husband can share them at work tonight!

 

It's FRIDAY!!!  Happy Weekened and make Saturday a CREAM PUFF day!!

 

Your "Sharing is Caring"Chefwannabe

Chris