miniature cream puffs

By momofsixplus1

intended for instant gratification; eat them the same day they're baked

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup water or 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup milk
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1.2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2-3 eggs, as needed
• egg wash; 1 egg slightly beaten with 1 tsp water

Preparation

Step 1

place water, butter, salt and sugar in a 2 1/2 quart saucepan, bring to a boil over low heat. the mixture should be heated slowly so that butter is just melted when the water reaches a boil. when mixture boils. remove from heat immediately and add flour all at once. stir vigorously with wooden spoon. return to heat, stir over medium heat until mixture pulls away from sides of pan, begins to leave a white film on pan, and forms a ball(about 30 seconds)

remove from heat, allow to cool 5 minutes. add 2 eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. the paste should look smooth and shiny but be stiff enough to hold its shape when pipes or dropped onto a baking sheet. if paste looks dull and is very stiff, lightly beat third egg and add a little of it to paste, beat until mixture is smooth. add more egg id needed.

preheat oven to 425. line baking sheets with parchment paper. secure parchment paper to baking sheet at corners with dots of pastry. to pipe pastry; use a half tube (no 6) to pipe 40(1 inch diameter) mounds of pastry onto parchment lines baking sheets, spacing them at least half an inch apart. to spoon pastry;use spoons and fingers(dipped in egg wash) to shape pastry into rough mounds.

lightly brush puffs with egg wash while flattening the tops slightly. bake puffs for 10 minutes. reduce oven to 400 degrees and bake until crisp and brown(about 10 minutes longer) poke an one-eighth-inch hole in bottom of each puff with tip of knife to release moisture. turn off oven, return to oven to a;;ow puffs to crisp(5-10 minutes), propping oven door slightly ajar with a wooden spoon. cool on wire racks before serving, filing or decorating.

makes about 40(1-inch) puffs.