Cream Puffs

I made the most delicious cream puffs ever.  I can't believe how good they turned out for my first try. I made them bite sized, good thing too because Taylor ate quite a few.  I asked them how they were and he gave them two thumbs up !!  I guess that means they are good.  I filled them with a vanilla custard.  To die for !! and drizzled chocolate over the top of them.  Yum-O !!  Both the cream puffs and the custard were very easy to make.  I wasn't sure if I would like the custard, I thought it would taste to much like a vanilla pudding, but it didn't.  I can't explain it, it was thicker, richer, creamier tasting.  I guess you'll just have to make it and try it for yourself !!  You won't be disappointed. 

The recipe came from a torn out page from a magazine, which magazine, I have no idea.  I need to start writing the name of the magazine on the recipes so I can give credit where credit is do !!

Cream Puffs

Ingredients:

1 cup water

1/2 cup butter

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

4 eggs

Heat oven to 375�F. In 2 1/2-quart saucepan, heat water and butter to rolling boil. Stir in flour and salt all at once. Reduce heat to low. Stir vigorously over low heat about 1 minute or until mixture forms a ball; remove from heat. Wait 5 minutes. With handheld mixer, beat in eggs, one at a time; continue beating until smooth. On ungreased cookie sheet, drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls about 3 inches apart. I put mine in a gallon size ziploc bag with corner snipped and piped mounds onto the cookie sheet. Bake 20-25 minutes or until puffed and golden. Cool away from draft, about 30 minutes.  To fill each puff;  fill a large pastry bag with the custard mixture and pipe custard into the puff !!
 
Vanilla Custard Filling
 
2 1/2 c. milk

5 egg yolks

3/4 c. sugar

2/3 c. sifted all purpose flour

2 tbsp. butter

1 tbsp. vanilla
 

Beat egg yolks and sugar in a large sauce pan. Beat in flour until well mixed. Turn sauce pan on medium-high heat gradually beat in milk.  Cook, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat until mixture thickens and comes to boiling, lower heat. Mixture will be lumpy in the beginning, but lumps disappear during cooking and stirring. Continue cooking 2 to 3 minutes, over low heat, stirring constantly. Mixture will be quite thick. Remove from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla. Place a piece of wax paper directly on surface of filling to prevent skin from forming. Chill at least 2 hours. If filling becomes too stiff after it's chilled, gradually stir in 2 to 4 tablespoons cream or milk, 1 tablespoon at a time. To make chocolate filling following the directions for Vanilla Custard Filling, adding 3 squares unsweetened chocolate to milk, stirring until melted. Continue with rest of recipe. Fill puffs just before serving.