Cheesecake Cream Puffs

By Johanna

Ingredients

• Cream Puffs:
• 1 c water
• 1/2 c butter
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 c all-purpose flour
• 4 lg eggs
• Filling:
• 2 pkg (4 serving size) cheesecake instant pudding mix (can use sugar-free instant pudding mix)
• 2 c cold milk
• 1 pt heavy cream
• Glaze:
• 2 Tbsp butter or margarine
• 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 Tbsp water
• 1 c sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preparation

Step 1

1. Bring water, butter and salt to a rolling boil in a saucepan. Add flour all at once; stir vigorously over low heat for about 1 minute or until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan and forms a ball.

2. Remove from heat. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition.

3. Drop dough in individual mounds onto ungreased baking sheets (I use an ice cream scoop for regular size cream puffs and my medium size Pampered Chef cookie scoop for miniature cream puffs).

4. Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for 35-40 minutes for regular size cream puffs, or 25-30 minutes for the miniature cream puffs. Shut off the oven and let the puffs sit in the oven for 15-20 minutes longer.

5. Remove from the pan immediately to wire racks and let cool completely.

6. For the filling, beat cream until stiff peaks form; set aside. Whisk pudding mixes with milk; let stand for 1 minute. Fold in the whipped cream.

7. Fill the cream puffs generously with filling (I pipe the filling into the puffs using a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip).

8. For the glaze, combine butter, cocoa and water in a small saucepan over low heat until smooth. Remove from heat; stir in confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract until smooth. Drizzle glaze over the cream puffs. Chill until serving time.