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The pastry for making cream puffs is called choux pastry, choux paste, pâte à choux or cream-puff pastry, This special pastry is made by an entirely different method from other pastries. The dough is created by combining flour with boiling water and butter, then beating eggs into the mixture, making a very sticky and pastelike mixture. During baking, the eggs cause the pastry to puff up into irregular domes.

Cream Puffs with Variations

4 large eggs

1 cup water

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1 cup all-purpose flour

 

Vanilla Pastry Cream (recipe follows) or

Sweetened whipped cream

Powdered sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Chocolate Frosting (optional; recipe follows)

1. Preheat oven to 400*F (205*C).
2. Break open eggs into a small bowl and beat lightly; set aside.
3. Heat water and butter to a rolling boil in a large saucepan. Stir in flour; reduce heat. Stir vigorously over low heat about 1 minute or until mixture forms a ball; remove from heat.
4. Beat in eggs, all at once and continue to beat vigorously until smooth.
5. Drop dough by scant 1/4 cupfuls about 3-inches apart onto an ungreased baking sheet.
6. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Cool away from any drafts.
7. When completely cooled, cut off top 1/3 of each puff and pull out any filaments of soft dough.
8. Fill puffs with Vanilla Pastry Cream or sweetened whipped cream. Replace tops and lightly sprinkle with powdered sugar or frost with Chocolate Frosting. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Best served same day made.

Makes 12 cream puffs.

Vanilla Pastry Cream

2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
2 cups half-and-half
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Whisk together first 4 ingredients in a 3-quart saucepan. Gradually whisk in half-and-half. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until mixture is thickened and bubbly.
2. Remove from heat; whisk in butter and vanilla. Cover and chill 4 hours before filling puffs.

Makes 3 cups.

Chocolate Frosting

1 ounce unsweetened chocolate

1 teaspoon butter or margarine

1 cup powdered sugar

1 to 2 tablespoons hot water

1. Heat chocolate and butter in a small saucepan over low heat until melted; remove from heat.
2. Stir in powdered sugar and hot water. Beat until smooth and of spreading consistency.

Variations:

Chocolate Cream Puffs: Decrease flour to 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons. Mix 2 tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar with the flour. Omit Vanilla Pastry Filling. Fill puffs with chocolate custard or ice cream and frost with Chocolate Frosting.

Chocolate Eclairs: Drop dough by scant 1/4 cupfuls onto ungreased baking sheet. Form each into an oblong finger-shape about 4 1/2-inches long and 1 1/2-inches wide. Bake as directed; cool. Fill with Vanilla Pastry Cream or sweetened whipped cream. Frost with Chocolate Frosting.