Bostom Cream...PUFFS

For as long as I can remember, I've been making choux pastry. When i was 12 or 13 people were asking me to make puffs for them. While, dessert fillings are always fun, I usually made them as appetizers with savory fillings. Spicy chicken, salsa, Tuna, Salmon. Cheese. Simply delicious. For an appetizers and dessert style party I decided to make sweet Puffs. However, while I had the time to make puffs I didn't for the cream so I attempted to do a little something something with vanilla pudding. I stared at the instant pudding options for about 5 minutes. I hardly ever buy pudding and was a little befuddled by it. Fast forwad a few hours later with puffs waiting to be filled, I'm still staring at the box of pudding mix with mixed feelings.

Nevertheless, I opened the box and did some of my own tweaking to make it at least a bit more custard like..and ended up with...pudding. So, rather than offering up cream puffs, I added some melted chocolate and called it Bostom Cream Puffs. Disaster avoided.

I was a little nervous about taking them, but they were also welcomed by the party guests. Just word to the wise, these things are high milk, egg, custard content (the filling) and so must be refrigerated as the hostess did not realize. And let me tell you they are DEFINITELY not appetizing a mere 15 hours later.

BOTTOM LINE: I will be making my puffs again. I will probably not be making dessert puffs again. Although I am tempted to play around with pastry creme by Julia Child. I encourage everyone to make these puffs and fill them with your fave filling. They are a great way to class up anything from tuna to sloppy joe to emphasize the elegance of a pate foi gras for example. Bon Appetit!


Boston Cream Puffs

1/2 pint water - 1 cup.

4 ounces lard or butter - 1/2 cup.

4 ounces flour - 1 cup.

6 eggs.

Little salt when lard is used.

Set the water on to boil with the lard in it. Put in the flour dry as it Is and all at once, and stir the mixture over the fire about five minutes or until it has become a smooth, well cooked paste. Take it off and add the eggs one at a time and beat in each one well before adding the next. Give the paste a thorough beating against the side of the pan for finish.

Drop portions size of an egg on baking pans very slightly greased and bake at 450 degrees F for about 20 minutes. Then drop temp to 350 for 30 minutes. Let the puffs bake slowly at last and dry so they will not fall when taken out. Cut a slit, in the side and fill with pastry cream by means of a teaspoon