Categories: pastry

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup bread or all purpose flour
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 4 eggs
• Almond Custard Cream Filling:
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp. slat
• 3 cups milk

Directions

1. In medium saucepan over medium to medium-high heat, bring water and butter to rolling boil. Add flour and salt all at once, stirring vigorously until mixture forms ball, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove for heat. Let rest 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to cool. By hand or with mixer at medium speed, beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Continue beating, if necessary, until glossy and small quantity of dough stands erect when scooped on end of spoon.
2. Drop dough in 2 tbsp. portions about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake in lower half of preheated 435 degrees until lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees. Continue baking until golden brown and firm, about 12 to 15 minutes. Pierce side of each puff with tip of sharp knife. Serve hot or cool on wire racks.

3. makes about 2 to 3 dozen

4. To serve puffs: For classically filled puffs, slice off 1/4 to 1/2 inch from tops. Pull out any filaments o soft dough. just before serving, spoon scant 1/3 cup Almond Custard Cream Filling (or other filling, as desired) into each hollow. Replace tops.

5. For unfilled puffs, serve hot, OR for main dish or dessert, cool, cut off small portion of tops and pull out any filaments of soft dough. Just before serving, spoon in filling as desired and replace tops.

6. OR, use uncut puffs, spoon filling into pastry bag fitted with plain round pastry tip or into plastic condiment bottle with applicator tip. Press tip into each puff. Slowly and gently squeeze bag or bottle until cream puff is full. For sweet puffs, dust with confectioner’s sugar, drizzle with ice cream sauce or spread with Chocolate Glaze, if desired.

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