CREAM PUFFS (PATE A CHOUX)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bring the water, butter and salt to a boil. Stir with a wooden spoon to mix well. Remove from heat and add the flour all at once. Stir completely to make a thick paste. Return to the heat and cook until the mixture forms a ball and leaves the sides of the pan. This should take 1 to 2 minutes. This mixture is called a panade. Remove pan from heat. Beat again and add eggs one at a time. Beat well between each addition using a wooden spoon. Dough is now ready to shape. If you want to double or triple this recipe, put the cooked panade into the bowl of a Kitchen-Aid and add the eggs using the paddle blade. Place dough in a pastry bag with a large, plain tip and make a circle about 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter. Fill in the center, then pull away the bag straight up to make the top. Space about 2 inches apart as these will grow. You can also use a spoon to shape these. Push the dough off with your fingers. The shapes will not be uniform. If you do this once, you won't do it again. A better tip is to buy a bag and a plain tip before you begin. They should be baked on parchment paper for 10 minutes at 425 degrees. Then reduce to 350 degrees and bake for another 20 minutes. The should puff immediately, then dry out. To check for doneness the first time you do this, crack one open at the end of baking to see if they are golden and dry. Let cool away from drafts. TIPS: Get dough into oven as fast as you can. Warm dough will be lighter and more tender. Measure your eggs. Too much egg will render the dough shapeless and limp and the puffs will be shapeless and limp. You can also dry dough out a little more if you plan to fill these way ahead. As they sit in the refrigerator they dough will absorb moisture. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar before serving. MOCK BAVARIAN CREAM FILLING: Beat all ingredients together until like a whipped cream.