Cream puffs are surprisingly easy to make, and can be done well in advance.  Keep a bag in the freezer and remove as many as needed.  Wonderful filled with meats, salads, warm soups/stews, ice cream - and other heavenly fillings.  

BASIC CREAM PUFF DOUGH:

1 cup water

1/2 cup butter

1 cup flour

4 eggs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Heat water and butter to a rolling boil.  Stir in flour.  Stir vigorously over low heat about 1 minute or until mixture forms a ball.  Remove from heat.  Beat in eggs, all at one time; continue beating until smooth.  Drop dough by scant 1/4 cupfuls 3” apart onto UNgreased cookie sheet.  Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until puffed and golden.  Cool away from draft.  Cut off tops.  Pull out any filaments of soft dough.  Carefully fill with desired filling.  Replace tops.  Dust with confectioners sugar.  Refrigerate until serving.

Note:  A “Martha Stewart swan" can be made by making a backwards "S" for the head and neck and a large teardrop shaped puff for the body and the wings.  After slicing off the top - take the top and slice it down the center to form the “wings” of the swan.  Fill the swan body with cream, place the “S” shaped head & neck near the front, and position the “wings” on top as shown.  Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar and serve immediately.

Eclairs:

    Form puff dough into strips instead of puffs.  When baked, fill with vanilla (or chocolate) pudding mixed with a little whipped cream or non-dairy whipped topping.  For a little extra flavor, add a touch of almond extract.  Replace tops, then frost with chocolate frosting.  Add sprinkles to match the holiday or season.  Refrigerate until serving.

S'mores Eclairs

Eclair Dough:

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 all-purpose flour

1 cup water

1/4 pound unsalted butter

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

4 eggs

36 large marshmallows

Chocolate Sauce, or Hershey’s chocolate ice cream syrup

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Sift the cocoa powder and flour together at least 3 times. Set aside. Place the water, butter, sugar, and salt in a heavy 2-quart saucepan. Bring this mixture just to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat and add the sifted cocoa and flour in all at once. Stir with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together to form a ball. Return the pan to medium-high heat and beat constantly until a film develops on the bottom of the pan, about 2 minutes.  Be careful to not let it burn.

If desired, transfer the dough to a bowl you can use with an electric mixer. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.  Transfer the dough into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pipe 3 to 4-inch log shapes onto the paper. Bake for 10 minutes; then reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Bake for another 15 minutes. Turn the oven off. Remove the eclairs from the oven and poke a hole in each one using a skewer. Place the eclairs back in the oven and leave the door ajar for 10 minutes, allowing the eclairs to dry.

Cut the eclairs in 1/2 lengthwise with a serrated knife. Place the bottom halves of the eclairs on a sheet pan and put 3 marshmallows into each. Place under the broiler until golden, watching closely. Remove from oven. Place tops on and ladle the chocolate sauce over top.