Recipes

[Carol1229]

They're SO easy to make and look like a million bucks. And the taste? Ohhhh the taste.......a light creamy filling with the slightest hint of cheesecake from instant pudding. Mmmmmmm!

I'm including 2 glazes...the first recipe is the one I got with the recipe...it's VERY good but stays soft. The second glaze firms up after it sits a bit....both are equally wonderful in flavor.

This recipe has so much creative versatility. I'd love a pistachio filling......maybe with a little almond extract and finely chopped pistachio nuts added in? For the fall---how about instant pumpkin pudding...maybe with a drizzle of caramel sauce? Then for spring and summer time.....lemon with a dusting of confectioners' sugar over top or a light lemon glaze? See what I mean? You're only limited to what flavors of instant pudding are available, so choose your favorite flavor and topping...and HAVE FUN!

I'll post the original recipe, then include my notes for making mini puffs under it-no matter what size you choose to make-these are delicious!

Carol

(Source: Vicki P.)

CREAM PUFFS:
1 c. water
1/2 c. butter
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. all-purpose flour
4 eggs

Spray a pizza pan with non stick spray (I don't grease the pan).

Bring water, butter and salt to a rolling boil in a saucepan. Add flour all at once; stir vigorously over low heat for about 1 minute or until mixture leaves the sides of the pan and forms a ball. Remove from heat.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. (Some people do this in the mixer, but I always do it by hand-by the time the 4th egg hits, you've got a better upper body workout than going to the gym!)

Drop dough onto prepared pan with a spoon to form a circle of 12 mounds (leave a little space between each mound). Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 35-40 minutes. Shut off oven; let puff sit in the oven 20 minutes longer. Place pan on cooling rack and cool completely.

Split horizontally with a serrated knife. Pull out the inner part of the pastry to form a shell (optional).

Fill with cheesecake filling, replace cream puff top and glaze. Chill until time to serve. Makes one ring of 12 cream puffs.

CHEESECAKE FILLING:
2 (3.4 oz.) pkg. instant cheesecake pudding mix
2 c. milk
1 pint heavy cream
2 tsp. sugar (optional-I don't use it)

Beat cream with sugar until stiff peaks form' set aside. Whisk pudding mixes with milk; let stand 1 minute. Fold in whipped cream. Use to fill cream puff ring.

GLAZE:
2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
5 tsp. water
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. light corn syrup
1 c. sifted confectioners' sugar

Cook and stir all ingredients except confectioners' sugar over low heat until smooth. Remove from heat; stir in sugar until smooth. Mixture will be thin. Drizzle glaze over cream puff ring.

If you'd like a little thicker glaze for the ring-try this one:

CHOCOLATE GLAZE:
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
2 Tbsp. water
1 c. sifted confectioners' sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add cocoa and water; remove from heat and stir constantly until mixture thickens. Stir in confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth.


TO MAKE MINI CREAM PUFFS: Follow the puff recipe above except drop 24 mounds (I use my medium size Pampered Chef cookie scoop) onto an ungreased baking sheets and bake @ 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Shut off oven; let puffs sit in the oven for 15-20 minutes (if I don't do this step, I remove the puffs from the oven and immediately cut a small slit in the side of each puff to let steam escape). Cool completely before filling.

I pipe the filling onto the puffs using a large star tip. For the puffs in the photo, I used the second recipe for glaze. Makes 24 mini cream puffs.