Cream Puffs

[Triss]

After making these... I have no idea why I have not done them before.  They are so easy and oh my goodness.... YUMMY!  My first batch fell because I did not cool them slowly but the 2nd batch of puffs seems to be holding up well.



CREAM PUFFS
 
1/2 cup butter
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  In a large pot, bring water and butter to a rolling boil. Stir in flour and salt until the mixture forms a ball. Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon or stand mixer, beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Centers should be dry.  Cool slowly by turning off the oven and opening the door so that the pastry puffs will not collapse on themselves.  When the shells are cool, either split and fill them with the pudding mixture, or use a pastry bag to pipe the pudding into the shells.


CUSTARD FILLING

2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant vanilla
pudding mix
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk

Mix together vanilla instant pudding mix, cream and milk. Cover and refrigerate to set.

HOMEMADE WHIPPED CREAM

1/2 pt. whipping cream
3 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla

Whip cream with mixer. Be careful not to overbeat or else will get too thick like butter. When it begins to thicken, add sugar and vanilla; stir. Refrigerate.

[Jessica]

Yum!  Thanks for sharing!!

[Tina]

Hmmm, I always beat in the eggs by hand. If  you take the same dough and push it through a pastry bag into a tube, you get eclairs.
For cream puffs I love Bavarian cream filling. Or savory fillings like chicken salad or salmon, etc.
 

[Triss]

Using the mixer worked out great but I can see where doing them by hand would make it quite a chore. 

Yum... all of those fillings sound good too.  I added a picture to my original post of the 2nd batch which I filled with homemade whipped cream.

[Tina]

Nice pictures.

[sunsoaker]

Those look yummy

[bayou girl]

now i want some...

[Ariel]

yummy

[duh]

I made cream puffs once with a homemade filling.  I had to stir the filling for 45 minutes but it was so much better than pudding.  But then, it is so labor intensive that I've never done it again.  And of course I have to have the chocolate drizzled over the top and then a sprinkling of powdered sugar.  Spoiled aren't I?

[Penny]

Nice for a treat.