Cream Puffs

Custard Filling

• 1/2 c sugar
• 5 T all-purpose flour
• pinch of salt
• 2 c milk
• 2 egg yolks, beaten
• 1 t vanilla extract

Pastry

• 1/2 c butter
• 1 c water
• 1 c all-purpose flour
• 1/4 t salt
• 4 eggs

Chocolate Topping

• 1/2 c semisweet chocolate chips

For the custard
You can make this a day ahead to chill in the refrigerator.

1. In a small saucepan, combine sugar, flour and a pinch of salt.
   
2. Stir in milk, a little at a time, until smooth.
   
3. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil 60 seconds, then pour a small amount of hot liquid into the 2 egg yolks, and stir.
   
4. Return now heated egg yolks to saucepan and stir, over heat, until mixture starts to bubble again.
   
5. Remove from heat, add vanilla. Cover and chill in refrigerator.

Pastry
How do you get the space in the center? The dough rises by itself! At a high temperature, the pastry rises, and then the rest of the time is drying it out so it holds its shape. Easy peasy! The puffs freeze well - just let cool after baking and stick in an airtight container. Reheat in oven when ready to use.

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C)
2. In a medium saucepan, combine butter and water and bring to a boil.
   
3. Sift together 1 cup flour and a pinch of salt and pour all at once into boiling mixture.
4. Stir vigorously until mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat, let sit 5 minutes.
   
5. Add eggs, one at a time, stirring vigorously after each addition.
   
6. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto baking sheet, or pipe into desired shape.
7. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce heat to 400F/200C and bake 20 minutes more, or until golden.
   
8. Poke a hole in each to let out the steam while cooling. Cool completely.
   

Chocolate Topping
This step is optional, but seriously, who wouldn't want their puff with chocolate?

1. Melt chocolate chips in microwave or slowly over low heat.

Cream Puff Assembly

1. Use a chopstick to poke a hole in the pastry.
   
2. Pipe the custard in. You can use a ziplock bag and cut off a tiny bit of the corner.
   
3. Optionally, you can cut off the top of the pastry, use a spoon to fill it with custard and replace the top.
   
4. Cover with melted chocolate.
   
5. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Notes
9/27/08 - I was in a terrible rush and was already 10 minutes late when I started putting the chocolate frosting on - hence them not looking so neat. Oh well, it's the taste that counts.
4/12/10 - Ran out of all purpose flour so made these with bread flour. Turned out ok. Puffs stuck to pan so best to let cool before removing. Also only had salted butter, so puffs tasted extra salty.
4/13/10 - Reheated frozen puffs in oven.
2/8/15 - A glossy chocolate glaze can be made by combining with cream (which I prefer to avoid) or with a butter/sugar/water combo (which is more time consuming). I'm fine with the rustic look of just melted chips for a quick application. This time used a scale to measure how much filling each one was getting. Mostly about 30 g but one accidentally got stuffed with 100 g! Made 15 puffs.

Mango Carrot Bread

My own invention - this turned out very moist, and a little too sweet for my taste. Perhaps less sugar next time.

• 2 c flour
• 1/2 t salt
• 1 t soda
• 1/2 t powder
• 1 t cinnamon
• dashes of nutmeg, allspice, etc
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 c oil
• 3/4 c sugar
• 1 large carrot, grated (~3/4 c)
• 1/2 large mango, mashed (~1 c)
• 1/2 c raisins or chopped nuts
  

1. Mix dry ingredients and spices together in large bowl.
2. Mix eggs, oil and sugar in separate bowl. Add carrot and mango.
3. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until flour is dissolved.
4. Stir in raisins and/or nuts.
5. Bake at 175C/350F for about 80 minutes.
   

Pancakey Crepes/Crepey Pancakes

This is an easy recipe as you use the blender for mixing and pouring. It's somewhere between a pancake and a crepe. If you want it more crepe like, add another 1/2 cup of milk.

• 2 c milk
• 1/4 c sugar (or less)
  
• 2 c flour
• 2 eggs
• 2 t baking powder
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1 t vegetable oil
• butter (for pan)

1. Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.
2. Pour into greased heated pan (6-8") on medium (medium-low).
3. Flip and cook until lightly browned.
4. Serve with frozen berries, fresh cut fruit, or eat plain.