Not traditional, but delicious cream puffs
Back in the day when you went to visit someone, you brought a gift of food or drink. My grandmother almost always made cream puffs to bring.
It was an all day project to make those perfectly round pastries filled with a delicious soft golden cream that she stirred to perfection for what seemed like hours.
While I preach learning patience from breadmaking, I never had the patience to make cream puffs from scratch the way she did. I played around in the kitchen until I found a way to make them more quickly.
Mine aren't the traditional sort of pastries, but they're delicious and so easy to make that you'll be snacking in no time.
The old pastries have been replaced with puff pastry and the lovingly-stirred cream has been replaced with slightly doctored pudding from a box, but the result is a tasty treat that is something totally different, yet somehow tastes as good.
Though some form of cream filled pastries have been around for centuries, the current form didn't begin to show up on menus in the US until the mid 19th century. In some recipes, rum or other alcohol is added to the cream, but it's just as good without any alcohol.
Not So Traditional Cream Puffs2 sheets Puff Pastry, cut into 24 triangles (see diagram at right)
1 (3 1/2 ounce) vanilla instant pudding mix 2 cups heavy whipping cream, well chilled
Put the trianges on a greased cookie sheet.
- Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until they are just golden brown...too little time and they will not be completely puffed and too much time, they will be too crispy. (Keep an eye on them...in my oven, they are perfectly done at 14 minutes...yours may take more or less time.)
While the puffs are baking, in a medium to large mixer bowl, blend pudding with milk until all lumps are gone on low speed.
Add whipping cream, and beat on medium speed for two minutes or until soft to semi-firm peaks form. Refrigerate mixture until puffs are ready to be filled.
