Tuscan Cream Puffs Recipes

YES, YOU CAN MAKE HOMEMADE CREAM PUFFS, WE PROMISE

Steps:

• For the Italian custard cream: Put the milk and the vanilla in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat
• In a bowl, whip together the sugar, flour, and egg yolks with a hand mixer
• Ladle a cup of the milk-vanilla mixture into the bowl and beat to temper the yolks
• Add the yolk mixture to the pot and beat over medium heat with the hand mixer until thick and creamy, about 1 minute
• As you are beating, move the pot on and off the flame so that you don't scramble the eggs
• (Buddy's Tip: The longer you cook this cream, the thicker it will become, so you can -- and should -- adjust the texture to suit your taste
• ) Remove the pot from the heat, add the butter, and whip for 2 minutes to thicken the cream
• Transfer to a bowl
• Let cool, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 6 hours or up to 1 week
• (To make chocolate custard cream, add 1½ ounces melted, cooled unsweetened chocolate along with the butter
• For a richer chocolate flavor, add a little more
• ) For the choux pastry: Put the water, butter, and salt in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat
• Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until the ingredients come together in a smooth, uniform dough, about 2 minutes
• Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment
• (You may also use a hand mixer
• ) Start paddling on low speed, then add the eggs, one at a time, until thoroughly absorbed, mixing for 1 minute between eggs, and stopping the motor periodically to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula
• Finish with the final egg and mix for an additional two minutes
• (Buddy's Tip: Use the dough immediately
• It does not refrigerate well
• ) For the cream puffs: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 450F
• Transfer the dough into a pastry bag fitted with the #6 plain tip
• Pipe rounds onto two non-stick baking trays, about 2 inches in diameter by about ½ inch high, leaving 2 inches between puffs
• (You should be able to make 24 puffs
• ) Bake the cream puff shells in the oven, in batches if necessary, until they are golden brown and they have set enough that you can pick them up (test by gently pinching one with your thumb and forefinger to see if it can be lifted), 15 to 20 minutes
• Remove the tray from the oven and let the shells cool on the tray for 20 minutes
• (The cream puff shells can be frozen in a plastic freezer bag for up to 1 month; let come to room temperature before cutting and filling
• ) Fill the puffs by either cutting them in half horizontally with a serrated knife and piping them full of Italian Custard Cream, or by using your pinkie to hollow out the puffs from the bottom and piping the cream into them through the hole

CREAM PUFFS

Steps:

• To make the cream puffs: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In a large saucepan, bring the water, butter, salt, and granulated sugar to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. When it boils, immediately take the pan off the heat. Stirring with a wooden spoon, add all the flour at once and stir hard until all the flour is incorporated, 30 to 60 seconds. Return the pan to the heat and cook, stirring, 30 seconds to evaporate some of the moisture.
• Scrape the mixture into a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix at medium speed. With the mixer running, and working 1 egg at a time, add 3 of the eggs, stopping after each addition to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix until the dough is smooth and glossy and the eggs are completely incorporated. The dough should be thick, but should fall slowly and steadily from the beaters when you lift them out of the bowl. If the dough is still clinging to the beaters, add the remaining egg and mix until incorporated.
• Using a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip, pipe the dough onto the baking sheet, in 2-inch diameter rounds or balls. Whisk the remaining egg with 1 1/2 teaspoons water. Brush the surface of the rounds with the egg wash to knock down the points (you may not use all the egg wash). Bake 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375 degrees F and bake until puffed up, and light golden brown, about 20 minutes more. Try not to open the oven door too often during the baking. Let cool on the baking sheet.
• To fill the cream puffs, place a pastry tip on your finger and poke a whole in the bottom of each puff. Whip the cream with the sugar and vanilla until stiff. Pipe whipped cream into each cream puff and chill until ready to serve, no more than 4 hours.
• Notes about the recipe: The moisture in the eggs turns to steam and puffs the batter to try to release itself. You can fill them with anything.

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.

CREAM PUFFS WITH CUSTARD FILLING

Steps:

• For creampuffs: heat the water and margarine to boiling in a saucepan. Stir in all at once the sifted flour.
• Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until mixture leaves pan and forms into a ball (about 1 minute). Remove from heat; cool.
• Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Beat mixture until smooth and velvety.
• Drop from teaspoonfuls onto lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake about 15 minutes in 425 degree oven then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 10-15 minutes more.
• Remove from oven, gut gash to allow steam to escape (I guess in the middle so you can fill them). Fill with custard filling.
• For custard filling: melt margarine in a saucepan. Blend in cornstarch, sugar and salt. Gradually add milk. Heat to boiling over direct heat. Stir mixture into slightly beaten egg yolks.
• Return to heat and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add vanilla. Cool thoroughly. Makes 2 cups.