Easy Cream Puffs

Right, I am back and I'm ready to start sharing recipes again.  The first few I'm sharing are actually recipes I made back in Idaho and never got around to posting because I was in the middle of the big move.

I do have some new ones coming up too, so keep an eye out for those.

So the first recipe I'm sharing today is one that my 16 year old daughter actually made.  It's one of those recipes that is so easy to do and it always looks like you've been working on it for hours.  Matter of fact, cream puffs were one of the first things I learned to make in my teenage years.

We had Home Economics in high school and for cooking, we had to make these.  I've always enjoyed them, and I'm happy to pass on this love of cooking to my children.

The recipe comes from Real House Moms, go on over there and take a look, you're sure to find tons of yummy things to try.

Cream Puffs

½ cup (one stick) butter
1 cup water
1 cup flour
4 eggs
2 small boxes instant vanilla pudding (3.4 oz each)
1⅓ cup cold whole milk
8 oz sour cream
powdered sugar


Cream Puffs:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Melt stick of butter and water to a rolling boil
Stir in flour and stir vigorously over low heat until mixture leaves the pan (comes off the sides) and is in a ball (about 1 minute)
Remove from heat and cool for a couple of minutes
Beat in eggs (one at a time) with a mixer
Beat mixture until smooth and velveety
Drop by spoonfuls (walnut sized) onto ungreased cookie sheet
Bake until DRY, 20-25 minutes (maybe longer)
Allow to cool

Filling:

Mix instant vanilla pudding with whole milk until the pudding is dissolved
Add sour cream until thick
Put mixture in the refrigerator (at least an hour)
Slice the cream puffs in half and fill with the chilled pudding mixture
Sprinkle with powdered sugar
Enjoy

Easy Cream Puffs!

A while back I saw this recipe on Bunny's Warm Oven and just knew that I had to give it a try.

I love cream puffs but I don't make them very often because of how time consuming they are, the fact that this recipe is quick and easy AND it calls for using Puff Pastry, was enough to make me put it on my list to try.

Today was the perfect day, it's been cloudy and windy and just the type of weather to make me want to get into the kitchen and bake.

Cream-filled Pastry
-Bunny's Warm Oven

PASTRY:
1 pkg. frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed per package directions

Remove the package of puff pastry from the box; take it out of the wrapper and allow it to sit on the counter @ room temperature for 20-30 minutes Carefully open one pastry sheet along the creases; place remaining sheet in the refrigerator to keep it cold (I cut the pastry when it's partially frozen-as long as I can unfold it and it doesn't tear, it's fine. The pastry seems to puff higher when it bakes if it's cold when it goes in the oven). Using a long, sharp knife, cut each strip of pastry at creases, forming 3 strips. Cut each strip widthwise into 7 pieces, slicing straight down-don't drag the knife across the pastry. Flip each cut piece over (to place the side you cut on down onto the sheet). Place on lightly greased baking sheets, leaving room between each piece. Repeat with remaining sheet of pastry. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack and cool completely. Using a serrated knife, slice through the center to make top and bottom halves.


CREAM FILLING:
1 c. whole milk
5 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 c. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. shortening
1/2 c. butter or margarine, at room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Place flour in a small saucepan; slowly whisk in milk. Cook and whisk constantly over low heat until mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Remove from heat; place mixture into a small bowl. Cover bowl with a paper towel and cool to room temperature.
Place cooled mixture in bowl of electric mixer; beat until fluffy. Add remaining ingredients, one at a time, and continue beating on medium-high speed for 5-10 minutes or until light and fluffy (I use my KitchenAid mixer-I start with the paddle, then when all the ingredients are very well mixed, I switch to the whisk attachment and let that do the rest of the work). The mixture should look like a whipped cream type frosting. I rub a little of it between my fingers to make sure the sugar has totally dissolved. Spread about 1 Tbsp. of filling on bottom half of each pastry; replace tops. Store in refrigerator. Yield: 42 pastries.

Cream Puffs!

It's been a while since I've made these and today I had such a big craving for them. YUM is all I can say, messy to eat but so worth it. I can't remember where I got the recipe from, it's been SO long, a few years at least. 

 

Cream Puffs

 

1 cup flour 

1 tsp white sugar 

1/2 tsp salt 

1/2 cup butter 

 1 cup water 

 4 large eggs 

Yields 18 med size puffs 

 

 

Boil water and butter till butter is melted, mix flour, sugar and salt in a small bowl and add all at one time stirring constantly till mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat.

Scrape into mixing bowl and beat for a few min on low to release steam from dough. 

 

Let sit for a few more min then add slightly beaten eggs and beat till dough is a thick and smooth paste.

 

Spoon on pan a couple of inches apart and place in preheated 400 oven for 15 min and then lower heat to 350 for another 30 min.

Turn oven off and with oven door slightly ajar let puffs dry out for another 10 min. Remove from oven and cool.

When cool cut them in half, putting a good dollop of whipped cream on the bottom half, add peaches or strawberries and cover with top half. Dust with icing sugar.