Cream Puffs

I love cream puffs and make them for many family dinners, especially Easter dinner.  So simple, and everybody loves them.  All you need are some basic ingredients and a strong right arm.   I showed my ten year old son how to make them yesterday.  He thought it was like magic! 

You only need some very basic ingredients - hard margarine, eggs, water and flour



Bring the water to a good boil, and dump in the flour all at once.  Mix until you get a soft dough that looks like this.

Then, remove from heat.  I usually wait a minute and let it cool just a tiny bit, then add all four eggs.  Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon.  It will look like a yucky eggy mess (see photo above), but keep stirring and beating with your spoon.  Magically, everything will come together and form a smooth batter.

Drop by 1/4 cupful's on a baking sheet.  I used a large ice cream scoop.

This is what they look like after baking.

Yum.

Fill with sliced, sweetened strawberries and whipped cream.  :-)

I use the recipe in my old orange Betty Crocker cookbook.


Ingredients:
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup  all-purpose flour
4 eggs

Heat oven to 400ºF. In 2 1/2-quart saucepan, heat water and butter to rolling boil. Stir in flour; reduce heat to low. Stir vigorously over low heat about 1 minute or until mixture forms a ball; remove from heat.  Wait a minute or so to cool slightly.  Beat in eggs, all at once; continue beating until smooth.


 On ungreased cookie sheet (I find it easiest to line a cookie sheet with parchment paper), drop dough by slightly less than 1/4 cupfuls about 3 inches apart. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until puffed and golden. Cool away from draft, about 30 minutes.

Cut off top third of each puff and pull out any strands of soft dough. Fill puffs with filling; replace tops. Cover; refrigerate until serving. Store covered in refrigerator.