Ingredients

Preparation

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp sugar
¼ tsp salt
½ cup butter
1 cup water
5 large eggs at room temperature (important)
1 ½ - 2 cups heavy whipping cream whipped with sugar and vanilla
Strawberry or Raspberry Jam
Fresh berries for the top if you have them

Preheat oven to 400° -- set rack to center

Butter three  9” cake pans generously and set aside (or use parchment on the bottom and Pam on the sides).In a small bowl, mix the flour, sugar and salt.  Set aside.

In a medium pan over medium heat, melt butter with water.  Then bring to a rolling boil.  Add the flour mixture all at once -- remove from heat and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a ball and feels like mashed potatoes. 

Now add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously until they are fully incorporated.  The mixture kind of gets slimy and separates…keep stirring, it will mix back in and become smooth after each egg.  (Enlist a strong buddy for this part to avoid an arm cramp.  lol)  The dough will be smooth and shiny and a little too stiff to pour.

Divide the dough evenly among the 3 pans using a spatula to spread evenly.

Bake 20 minutes. (All on the same rack.)  Open the oven to let the moisture escape, turn the heat to 350°, rearrange if necessary and continue baking until they are golden brown, about 5-8 more minutes.  They will grow up the sides of the pan and look ridiculous…no worries.

Turn off the oven, open the door and leave the cream puffs in the oven to cool.  This keeps them from falling.

Remove puffs and place on cooling racks.

Whip cream, sugar, and vanilla.

Layer on a platter:  Puff, Jam, Whipped Cream, Puff, Jam, Whipped Cream, Puff, Jam, Whipped Cream

Top with fresh fruit or shredded coconut if you like. 

To serve, slice with a serrated knife.

Keys to this recipe:

Eggs at room temperature so that they will not change the consistency of the dough.

Wooden spoon…I’m told that metal messes up the dough.

Lots of butter or Pam in the pans, they stick to the sides of the pan.

Letting the moisture escape the oven and cooling in the oven.

You can chill it in the refrigerator for a bit before serving, but it will get soggy if you leave it too long.  Doesn’t keep really well…you will have to eat the whole thing!  Low calorie option:  invite more people for dessert!

If you need to make the cream puff portion the night before, don’t put them in a covered container…just loosely cover with paper towels.

I can’t seem to master regular cream puffs, but this recipe is great.