MOM’S FAMOUS CREAM PUFFS

Ingredients For the cream puff shells 1 cup water ½ cup unsalted butter ¼ teaspoon salt 1 cup all-purpose flour 4 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional For the creamy vanilla filling 2 cups cold whole milk 1 package (3.4 oz/96 g) instant vanilla pudding mix 1 cup heavy whipping cream ¼ cup powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Optional topping Powdered sugar for dusting Melted chocolate or chocolate ganache Instructions 1. Prepare the oven. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. Make the choux pastry. Place the water, butter, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil over medium heat. Once the butter has completely melted, add all the flour at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a smooth ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Continue cooking and stirring for about 1–2 minutes to remove excess moisture. 3. Add the eggs. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the dough to cool for about 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating very well after each addition. At first the dough may look separated, but keep mixing until it becomes smooth before adding the next egg. After the final egg, the dough should be thick, smooth, glossy, and soft enough to slowly fall from the spoon. 4. Shape the cream puffs. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each puff. You can also pipe the dough using a large round piping tip. Gently smooth any sharp peaks with a damp fingertip. 5. Bake. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 10 minutes. Without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake another 15–20 minutes, until the puffs are deeply golden and firm. Avoid opening the oven too early because the puffs can collapse. Turn off the oven. Pierce each puff once with a small knife or skewer to release steam, then leave them in the warm oven with the door slightly open for about 5–10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. Make the Vanilla Cream Filling Pour the cold milk into a mixing bowl and whisk in the vanilla pudding mix until thickened, about 2 minutes. Refrigerate for 5–10 minutes. In another bowl, beat the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the prepared vanilla pudding. The finished filling should be thick, fluffy, and creamy. Refrigerate until you’re ready to assemble the puffs. Fill the Cream Puffs Once completely cool, carefully slice each cream puff horizontally about two-thirds of the way through, leaving a small hinge if desired. Spoon or pipe a generous amount of vanilla cream into each shell. Replace the tops. For the beautiful overflowing look in the photo, don’t be shy with the filling—it should be visible around the edges. Dust lightly with powdered sugar just before serving, or drizzle with melted chocolate for an extra-special finish. Tips for Perfect Cream Puffs Make sure the flour mixture cooks for a minute or two before adding the eggs. Add the eggs gradually, and never open the oven during the first stage of baking. Most importantly, let the shells cool completely before filling them. For the crispiest results, fill the cream puffs shortly before serving. Unfilled shells can be stored airtight for about 2 days or frozen for up to a month; briefly re-crisp them in a 325°F (165°C) oven before cooling and filling. Mom’s Famous Cream Puffs are best served chilled or shortly after filling—crisp and golden outside with a generous cloud of vanilla cream inside.