Cream Puffs

When Sione and I were first dating I was introduced to cocoa puffs from Liliha bakery. Everyone loves them here in Hawaii and he couldn't believe that I had never had them before. They are basically cream puffs with chantilly cream on top of them. If you have ever had a cocoa puff you may end up hating me for this next statement but, I didn't think the cocoa puffs lived up to all the hype I'd been hearing about them. Now don't get me wrong they didn't taste bad, they were actually pretty good; it's just that homemade cream puffs taste oh so much better.

I learned how to make cream puffs in Young Women when I was around 13 years old, so I took this as an opportunity to introduce Sione to homemade cream puffs. I told him that if you've never tasted filet mignon because you've only been eating hamburger steak your entire life you would never see any problems with hamburger steak and think that it is the best. Now that he'd met me, I was excited to introduce him to some filet mignon!

Instead of just making some cream puffs for him, I decided to teach him how to make them himself! It was a great date. We even took some over to his home to share with his parents. Long story short, he no longer cares for cocoa puffs and prefers homemade cream puffs.  I still have to silently chuckle whenever we eat pastries and he says things like "this is a little too dry for my taste." Oh how far his taste buds and food knowledge has come (he even poached some eggs today).

Recipe (makes 40 large cream puffs)

Ingredients:

1cup butter

2 cup water

2 cup flour

7 eggs

Filling:

2 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 cups milk

1 package (3.5 oz) chocolate pudding

1 package (3.5 oz) vanilla pudding

Directions:

1) Bring water and butter to a rolling boil in a medium pan.

2) Vigorously mix in flour until in forms a ball.

3) Transfer dough into a mixing bowl and beat in one egg at a time. (dough will temporarily separate but keep mixing until you come out with a consistency seen in the photo below).

4)Drop tablespoon amounts onto a greased cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 25 minutes.

5) While the puffs are baking cream together heavy cream, milk, and pudding mixes. Cover and put into the refrigerator for later.

6) Move puffs to a cooling rack when they are done baking (middles should be dry) to cool completely.

7) Once puffs are completely cooled poke a hole in them and pipe them full with the filling.

*drizzle with Nutella Chocolate Glaze, top with a dollop of Chantilly frosting, or dust with powdered sugar to finish.

**to be sure that your puffs don't deflate be sure that your oven is completely preheated before putting them into the oven to bake. Also it is helpful to use a steak knife to poke a hole into each cream puff 10 minutes into baking time. If you find that your puffs are deflating it is probably because they need a little more baking time.

As a side note, you may end up with a little extra filling but don't fret. It's basically pudding so just grab a spoon and dig right in!