| Recipe: |
1 c. water
6 T. butter
1/4 t. salt
1 t. sugar
1 c. flour, sifted
4 to 4.5 large eggs
Fillings, as desired.
Preheat oven to 400. Butter a baking sheet or line with wax or parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
Place water, butter, salt, & sugar in a heavy medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a boil. With a wooden spoon in hand, add the flour all at once and stir the paste until it pulls away from the sides of the pan. Reduce heat and continue to cook 1 minute longer, stirring and mashing the mixture with the back of the spoon. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer mixture to a bowl. Let sit for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, to cool slightly.
In a small bowl, beat each egg individually and add them one at a time to the paste. Stir well with the wooden spoon after each addition until the egg is fully incorporated before continuing with the next egg. The mixture should be soft, but still able to hold a peak. If it looks like it can take more egg, break the last egg and add as much as practical.
Using two soup spoons, make 18 mounds, each about 1.75" across and 1" tall. Space them 1.5" apart. Use a slightly wet finger to smooth down the peaks.
Bake until puffed, set, and lightly colored, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and prick each puff along a crack with a sharp knife. Return to the oven and bake until golden brown (another 5 - 10 minutes). If the puffs have any beads of moisture on the outside when they're done baking, turn off the oven and leave them in a few minutes until they are dry. Puffs are best served within a few hours.
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Recipe may be halved. In this case, add eggs 1/2 at a time.
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Fillings:
To fill, use a serrated knife to make a "flip-top" and fill with custard, whipped cream, or ice cream. Or you could use a pastry bag to fill without cutting an opening. Top with fruit and/or a drizzle of chocolate sauce.
-- taken, with small changes, from Sheila Lukins "All Around the World Cookbook"
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GLUTEN-FREE OPTION:
Hats off to The Sensitive Epicure's blog for the simple concept: "What type of gluten free flour would gelatinize the most? Easy - sweet rice flour. I thought why not go for it, and just substitute out the bread flour (high gluten content) for sweet rice flour at a 1-for-1 swap? .... Amazing. The dough had a sweet reminiscent flavor and aroma of Cream of Rice cereal."
So, I tried it: simply used a cup of sweet rice flour and did everything else the same as above. The dough wasn't quite as stiff as with flour, and when I put it on the baking sheet it flattened itself out somewhat. But once in the oven, it rose again and developed those awesome caverns of goodness that characterizes cream puffs. The outsides were very smooth (my flour-based puffs are all craggy), but that was the most noticeable difference. Next time I might try cutting back on the water a smidge, but they were totally acceptable as written. |
