Cream Puff Day

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By Chef Diane

Thirty four years ago I got a super shooter for Christmas.  It was wonderful, and looking through the recipe book I pictured all kinds of delicious treats I could make for my family. The first recipe that caught my eye was for Éclairs.  Well I had to make them, they sounded so exotic, and French!  As it turned out...that is the only thing I used that super shooter for, and now I make them without it.

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The cream puffs I make is the same recipe for Éclairs, the only difference is a cream puff is just a smaller version, almost bite sized.   According to punchbowl.com, Cream puffs  made their debut in the United States in 1880. However, the first cream puff originated in Europe sometime during the 1540's when Catherine de Medici's pastry chef created the baked puffed shells for Catherine’s husband, Henry II of France.

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Below is my recipe and since today is cream puff day, why not try to make this easy exotic dessert for your family.

Cream Puffs

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1 stick butter
• 1 cup flour
• 4 eggs

Directions

Preheat oven to 425.  Boil water and butter until butter is melted.  Remove from heat and add flour.  Let cool then add eggs, one at a time.  Stir thoroughly after each egg until mixture is smooth and glassy.  After all the eggs have been stirred in....spoon the mixture onto a baking sheet, about a table spoon size dollop.  Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, then turn oven down to 325 for 30 minutes.   Remove from oven and cut in half.  Fill with cream and top with powdered sugar or chocolate glaze.  I normally make instant french vanilla pudding for my filling.  Chocolate glaze recipe is below, or you can use canned icing.

Chocolate Glaze

• 2 square of semi-sweet baking chocolate
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 TBS milk

Heat butter and chocolate until melted, stir in sugar and milk.  Drizzled over puffs quicky before it hardens.  Enjoy!