Fillings For The Mini Cream Puffs Recipes

FINGER-LICKING GOOD MINI CREAM PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. In a small saucepan, bring water and butter to a rolling boil over medium heat. Add flour and salt all at once; beat until blended. Cook, stirring vigorously, until a film forms at the bottom of the pan, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes., Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until smooth. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and shiny. Drop dough by 1-in. balls 1-1/2 in. apart onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until puffed, very firm and golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Cool on wire racks., Meanwhile, whisk together pudding mix and milk for 2 minutes or until thickened; let stand 5 minutes. Fold in whipped topping. Cut puffs in half. Fill cream puffs with vanilla filling; replace tops. Dust with confectioners' sugar; serve immediately.

AMAZING AND FOOLPROOF CREAM PUFFS

Steps:

• Place an oven rack in the lower-middle position. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (decrease by 25 or 50 degrees if using a dark coated pan). Lightly grease a 24-cup mini muffin tin or a 12-cup regular muffin tin (you'll bake in two batches).
• In a medium saucepan, bring the water and butter to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the flour, stirring with a wooden spoon or spatula until the mixture forms a ball.
• Scrape the warm mixture into a mixing bowl (or into the bowl of an electric stand mixer) and beat with a handheld electric mixer until the dough has cooled slightly, 1-2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating constantly, until the mixture is thick and smooth.
• Scoop a heaping 1/2 tablespoon into each mini muffin tin (about 1/2 full) or a couple tablespoons into a regular muffin tin (again, about 1/2 full). A cookie scoop works great for this.
• Once the mini muffin cups are filled, wet your fingers with cold water and dab them on the top of the mounded dough to smooth out any rough spots and even out the dough (this will help them bake into a pretty rounded top).
• Bake for about 15-20 minutes for mini cream puffs and 25 minutes for regular cream puffs until the tops of the shells are lightly golden and they are baked all the way through (if there is any doughy moisture inside the shells add a few minutes so they don't collapse).
• Remove the pan from the oven and working quickly, use a thin wooden skewer to pierce the side of each cream puff; doing this will allow any steam to escape. I try to poke the cream puff shell right in the middle where I'll be splitting it anyway to add the cream. Remove them from the tin and let them cool completely on a wire rack.
• Repeat the filling and baking process with the remaining dough.
• For the vanilla cream filling, in a medium saucepan, bring the milk and 1/4 cup powdered sugar to a simmer. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, egg, cornstarch and 1/3 cup powdered sugar. Slowly ladle or drizzle in the hot milk mixture to the bowl while whisking constantly (this tempers the eggs so they don't curdle and cook into hard bits). Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring and/or whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and thickens.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla.
• Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer (this part is optional but can help remove any lumps) into a clean bowl. Press plastic wrap directly on the top and refrigerate until cold. The vanilla cream filling can be made up to a week in advance.
• For the sweetened whipped cream, whip the heavy cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla to stiff peaks (I like to use my Blendtec for whipping cream; super simple and takes just a minute or two).
• Split each cooled cream puff shell in half right at the seam where the puffy top meets the smooth bottom. Spoon vanilla cream into the bottom of each shell and top with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream and place the top back on. Lightly dust all the cream puffs with powdered sugar.
• The cream puffs can be fully assembled up to a day in advance (they actually taste better if assembled ahead of time). I store them uncovered in the refrigerator up to a day before serving.

FILLINGS FOR THE MINI CREAM PUFFS

Steps:

• 1. Chicken filling Fill small cream puffs and use as hor d'oeuvre's
• 2. Shrimp filling Fill small cream puffs also and use for hor d'oeuvre's
• 3. Ham filling Combine and mix with enough sour cream to moisten fill cream puffs

MINI CREAM PUFFS

Steps:

• 1. Put water and butter in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil until butter melts. Add salt.
• 2. Remove from heat and add flour and stir until smooth and return to heat and continue stirring until mixture forms a smooth mass, and the bottom on the pan is coated with a fine film. (this indicates that the flour is cooked)
• 3. Remove from heat and place mixture in the bowl of a food processor using the plastic dough blade. Add eggs one at a time, pulsing the batter until very smooth. (I started doing it this way when my shoulders would hurt so much from fibromyalgia that I couldn't beat the eggs in by hand any longer, now I wouldn't do it any other way)
• 4. Once the eggs have been incorporated into the dough it may be covered and left at room temperature for an hour or so.
• 5. Preheat oven to 425-degrees. Pipe dough with a pastry bag with 1/2 inch round tip onto parchment covered baking sheets, forming mounds 1 inch in diameter and 3/4 inch high. Lightly smooth the tops of each mound.
• 6. Bake for 10 minutes, Reduce heat to 375-degrees and continue baking until the puffs are golden brown about 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 325-degrees and bake until puffs are firm and the inside is not sticky or doughy.
• 7. Cool puffs on a wire rack. They may be used immediately or frozen in airtight container. To use, warm in a preheated oven for a few minutes.
• 8. SHRIMP AND CRAB FILLING: Toss together bread cubes, onions, melted butter and eggs. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• 9. Next day add celery, shrimp, crab and mayonnaise. Taste for seasoning. May need salt and pepper and a little lemon juice.
• 10. Use for filling mini cream puffs, canape`s or to make a sandwich with the filling. It is good enough to eat by itself. Bread extends the filling without compromising on flavor and taste.

EASY MINI STRAWBERRY CREAM PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Place a mixing bowl in the freezer.
• Combine water, butter, and salt in a saucepan; bring to a boil.
• Remove from the heat and immediately add flour; quickly beat in the flour with a wooden spoon, alternating between pressing on the dough and beating it quickly. Continue until dough has formed a ball and no longer sticks to the side of the pan.
• Add 1 egg, and using the same technique above, beat it in until dough has reached a smooth consistency. Repeat with the second egg. Beat until dough begins to break into strands, about 5 more minutes.
• Divide dough into 12 pieces. Round each piece and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until puffed up and browned, about 20 minutes. Remove and cool on a wire rack.
• Meanwhile, pour cold cream into the chilled mixing bowl. Add white sugar and beat with a hand mixer until light and fluffy.
• Slice across the tops of the cooled cream puffs just enough to open; they will be hollow inside. Put a heaping tablespoon whipped cream in the top and bottom cavities. Put a strawberry in the middle and close the two halves. Set on a plate and dust with powdered sugar.

CLASSIC CREAM PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine butter, sugar, salt and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil and quickly stir in the flour with a wooden spoon. Continue to stir until a film forms on the bottom of the pan.
• Remove from heat and transfer contents to a bowl to cool slightly, about 3 minutes. Add 4 eggs, one at a time, stirring vigorously to entirely incorporate egg after each addition.
• For the egg wash, whisk together the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon water. Set aside.
• Transfer the pate a choux to a large pastry bag fitted with a 5/8-inch plain tip. Pipe 1-1/2-inch rounds onto each prepared pan. Gently smooth the pointed peaks with a moistened finger, rounding tops to ensure even rising. Brush tops with reserved egg wash. Bake until puffs rise and are golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks. Puffs can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 day.
• Transfer pastry cream to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/8-inch plain round tip. Insert the tip into the opening of each pastry, and pipe to fill with pastry cream. Serve immediately.

CRAB-STUFFED MINI PUFFS

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, bring water, butter and salt to a boil. Add flour all at once; stir until a smooth ball forms. Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat until smooth and shiny., Drop by tablespoonfuls 3 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 400° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks. Immediately split puffs open; remove and discard soft dough from inside. Cool puffs completely., For filling, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, onion, salt, dill, lemon juice and pepper in a bowl. Fold in the crab. Fill bottom halves of puffs; replace tops. Serve immediately.

EASY CREAM PUFFS WITH VANILLA FILLING

Steps:

• For the puffs: Preheat oven to 400.
• Heat water and butter to a rolling boil in a medium sized saucepan. Turn heat down to low, and stir in flour with wooden spoon. Stir vigorously over low heat about 1 minute or until mixture forms a ball.
• Remove from heat, and either place mixture into stand mixer or have a hand mixer ready. Add eggs all at one time, and beat everything together until smooth and shiny.
• Drop dough by scant 1/4 cup 3 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet.
• Bake 35-40 minutes until puffed and golden brown. (Do not pull out too early or they will "fall." It is better to slightly overbake than to underbake!).
• Remove from oven, and cool to room temperature.
• For the filling: While the puffs are baking, in a medium to large mixer bowl, blend pudding with milk until all lumps are gone on low speed.
• Add whipping cream, and beat on medium speed for two minutes or until soft to semi-firm peaks form. Refrigerate mixture until puffs are ready to be filled.
• For the icing: Melt chocolate and butter over low heat in small saucepan. Remove from heat; stir in confectioner's sugar and about 2 tablespoons of hot water (more or less). Beat until smooth. Consistency should be able to "drizzle.".
• Assembly: Either cut tops off completely, or cut to the back to leave a "hinge." Fill puffs with pudding mix, replace tops, then drizzle with chocolate icing. Refrigerate until serving time. Best served day of.

CREAM PUFFS

Steps:

• Mix together vanilla instant pudding mix, cream and milk. Cover and refrigerate to set.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• In a large pot, bring water and butter to a rolling boil. Stir in flour and salt until the mixture forms a ball. Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon or stand mixer, beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Centers should be dry.
• When the shells are cool, either split and fill them with the pudding mixture, or use a pastry bag to pipe the pudding into the shells.