Cream Puffs

I know it's pretty late in the day for me to be telling you, but it's National Cream Puff day!  Just when you think all the hub-bub of Christmas and New Years was over, here's another holiday to contend with.  But don't worry, we'll make it through together.  In fact, thanks to this book I was given the chance to review, Food Fest 365 by Yvan D. Lemoine

 ...we'll know what food is being celebrated each day of the year!  Some of the tasty days we've got look forward to are Nutella Day (Feb 6), Empanada Day (Apr 8), and Roast Suckling Pig Day (Dec 18).  This colorful book is filled with many enticing pictures, and has 365 recipes, celebrating a different food each day.  

Today being January 2, we're celebrating the Cream Puff.

This is my first foray into trying to make cream puffs, and the first batch I pulled out of the oven ended up looking like this...

Not sure what happened, but the second batch turned out a little puffier, with pockets of airiness in them. 

my lovely Christmas Silpat :)

 Instead of pulling the second batch straight out of the oven, I opened the oven door for a few minutes to give them a slower cool down time, maybe that helped them keep their shape a little better.  

I'll put the recipe for you here, but I'll tell you I cheated and didn't make the pastry cream out of the book.  I used something faster with instant pudding found here.

 Makes 1 dozen

1 cup water

1 tablespoon sugar

pinch of salt

6 tablespoon butter

5 3/4 ounces all purpose flour (sifted)

4 large eggs and 1 egg white

Combine water, sugar, salt and butter in a pot and bring to boil.  When butter has melted, add sifted flour and stir with a wooden spoon until dough is form.  Cook on medium heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Remove pot from heat, pour dough into stand mixer and let it cool until lukewarm.  Mix on medium high, adding one egg at a time until you have a smooth mixture.  Pipe or spoon mixture onto greased baking sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes at 400.  Then lower temp to 325.

Glaze cream puffs with an egg wash, and return to oven until golden (about 10 minutes).  Remove from oven and leave out to cool (do not refrigerate).  Cut in half and fill with pastry cream.  

 And for your enjoyment/amusement, a little collage of our New Year's Eve eats.

Those Apricot Chicken wings were pretty dang good, in my opinion.  You can find the recipe here if you're interested.