Cream Puffs
In case it's not obvious by now...almost every sweet thing I create involves chocolate is some way...be it the main ingredient or a garnish. I vow I will branch out of my comfort zone some day! I discovered the art of making cream puffs a few months ago and while they have never been my favorite dessert, I now recognize that they play an important role in the "sweet" family. I've made them twice now...once with a homemade chocolate pudding filling and once with a vanilla filling. I enjoyed them both ways and while they are no chocolate cake, they definitely hit the spot now and again.
Chocolate Filled Cream Puffs
1 c. water
1/2 c. butter or margerine
1/4 t. salt
1 c. all-purpose flour
4 eggs
chocolate cream filling (recipe follows)
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Bring water and salt to a boil in med. saucepan. Add flour; stir vigorously over low heat about 1 min. or until mixture leaves side of pan and forms a ball. Remove from heat; add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until smooth and velvety. Drop dough by scant 1/4 cupfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 35-40 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. While still warm, horizontally slice off small portion of tops; Remove any soft dough inside; cool.
Prepare chocolate cream filling; fill cream puffs. Replace tops; dust with powdered sugar. Chill.
1/2 c. butter or margerine
1/4 t. salt
1 c. all-purpose flour
4 eggs
chocolate cream filling (recipe follows)
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Bring water and salt to a boil in med. saucepan. Add flour; stir vigorously over low heat about 1 min. or until mixture leaves side of pan and forms a ball. Remove from heat; add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until smooth and velvety. Drop dough by scant 1/4 cupfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 35-40 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. While still warm, horizontally slice off small portion of tops; Remove any soft dough inside; cool.
Prepare chocolate cream filling; fill cream puffs. Replace tops; dust with powdered sugar. Chill.
*I put dough in a ziploc and snipped off the end of one corner and piped them onto the pan (I recommend slightly greasing the pan as mine stuck a little). I used melted chocolate chips to drizzle over the top when completed before sifting powdered sugar on tops.
Chocolate Cream Filling
1/3 c. cocoa
1/3 c. cornstarch
1/4 t. salt
3 c. milk
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 T. butter or margerine
1 1/2 t. vanilla extract
Combine granulated sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt in medium saucepan; stir in milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture boils; boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat. Gradually stir small amount of chocolate mixture into egg yolks; blend well. Return egg mixture to chocolate mixture in pan; stir and heat just until boiling. Remove from heat; blend in 2 T. butter and vanilla. Pour into bowl; press plastic wrap directly onto surface. Cool.
I wish I had a photo of the second time I made these! They were very similar with a different filling and I made them round like traditional cream puffs rather than the more eclair-like shape of the chocolate-filled ones. I used a medium sized cookie scoop to shape the dough and it worked really well. Again I drizzled chocolate on top :)
Vanilla Filling
1 large pkg. vanilla pudding
1 1/2 c. cream
1 1/2 c. milk
1 T. sugar
Mix pudding and milk with wire whisk. Place in refrigerator and allow to set. Beat cream until slightly thickened. Add sugar and beat until stiff. Fold sweetened cream into pudding and pipe into cream puffs.
Comments