Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Creamy, dreamy cream puffs

Even though cream puffs look complicated to make, they are much easier than you’d think.

The pastry only has five ingredients; water, butter, flour, eggs and salt. The filling can either be whipped cream, pudding, or a combination of both. If I have the time, I make the pudding from scratch. If I’m in a hurry, I use Jello pudding mix and fold in Cool Whip.

All that is required for the chocolate glaze is melting chocolate chips in hot whipping cream and adding a little corn syrup. It’s all that easy!

CREAM PUFFS

½ cup (1 cube) butter
1 cup water
1 cup flour
4 eggs
1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Grease large cookie sheet. Melt butter in water and bring to a boil. Add all of flour at once and stir until mixture leaves sides of pan. Add eggs, one at a time, stirring after each addition until smooth. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls 3 inches apart on greased cookie sheet. Bake in 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 300 degrees and continue baking for 40 minutes longer. Remove from oven and cool.



CREAM FILLING

¾ cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
¼ tsp. salt
2 eggs
2 cups milk
1 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
4 oz. Cool Whip
In a cold medium saucepan,whisk flour, sugar, and salt together until blended well. Add eggs and whisk until smooth and then mix in milk. Heat mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly. Bring to a boil and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla. Cover with plastic wrap. Cool in refrigerator. Gently stir in 1/2 of 8 oz. Cool Whip.

Cut top 1/3 of cream puff off and gently press down or remove excess dough. Fill puff with cream filling and place top back on.

CHOCOLATE GLAZE

½ cup whipping cream
1 cup chocolate chips
½ tsp vanilla.
1 Tbsp. corn syrup

Heat whipping cream until beginning to simmer. Remove from heat and add chocolate chips and stir until melted and smooth. Spread over filled cream puff and refrigerate until ready to serve.

MAKES ABOUT 15

If you want to do something different, you can make a ring of cream puffs. Just flour greased cookie sheet and draw a 7" ring in flour. Drop 10 mounds of cream puff batter equally around circle. Edges will be touching. Bake as directed. Cool. Cut off top 1/3 and fill with cream filling. Top with chocolate glaze.

16 comments:

  1. Wow. . . Those are some might tasty-looking cream puffs. Can't wait to try'em.

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  2. I'm with Nick's comments above. Those look just plain awesome. Sugar makes me smile and my hips go wild.

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  3. Sweet, Sweet, the memories you gave to meNovember 18, 2009 at 12:57 PM

    It's holiday time, and that's the time for all of us to splurge on all sorts of sweets. We can always make a New Year's resolution to lose weight. Let's see now, New Year's is in 43 days. That's just over six weeks of making pigs out of ourselves. Double helping of cream puffs coming up.

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  4. Thanks double nicks and bighips. Sugar makes me smile too.

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  5. Didn't we use to play cream puff football in high school? Oh, that was powder puff football. Never mind.

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  6. You commenters are a funny lot, and I'll not try to keep up with the clever banter. But I will say that I love these recipes. Keep it up.

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  7. I'd like to wish CaliCook a happy birthday on this very special day. She's a Fresno treasure and we need to tell he how much we appreciate her on this important day.

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  8. Happy birthday from, me too.

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  9. I'm so glad I can use this space to say how wonderful Jilli is and thank her for all that she has done for me and my family over the years. It is my pleasure to say Happy Birthday.

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  10. Happy, happy birthday, Baby. . .

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  11. I don't know who that earlier imposter is, but I'm your BFF, and I'm wishing you the best birthday in the world. We love you.

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  12. HA! Thank you all for your comments. You are all so clever! I sure have a witty bunch of followers! I am so lucky.

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  13. My Dear Friend,
    Happy Birthday !!!!
    I wish you a happy,healthy and prosperous
    year.
    I am glad you enjoyed my excellent rendition
    of Happy Birthday, it was specially for you.
    Love You

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  14. Have a great birthday and a great Thanksgiving. Can't wait to see what you have in store for us for the holidays. Bet it will be sweet.

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  15. THE MOST FAVORITE BFF OF ALL said... Jilli you know who I'am and I mean it, your the greatest thing since sliced bread! happy belated birthday!I truely love you the most, out of our group. Love You

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  16. HI auntie....I remember when Grandma made these!! OMG they are sooooo wonderful! YUM!

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