Cream Puffs!

Cream Puffs are difficult to make. I'm not saying this to scare you but to challenge you to make one. They said if you can bake cream puffs then you can surely bake anything. This is the ultimate baking test that separates men from boys... The difficult part here is making it rise... because in cream puffs you don't use leavening agents nor whipped egg whites, just steam and the right oven temperature. 

Tips in making Cream Puffs:

• Pre-heat your oven well make sure it has reached 450F before baking the cream puffs.
• After putting the flour in the water-butter mixture make sure no flour lumps is left before adding the eggs.
• Let it cool slightly before adding the eggs so that the eggs wont curdle.
• Pipe cream puffs into a greased-floured baking sheet using a large round or rosette tip. 
• When your cream puffs are already inside the oven, do not be tempted to open the oven door to see the puffs. Believe me it will sink. Wait for it to be golden brown before opening. If the cream puffs are already golden brown and standing firmly, its done! Do not over-bake or else your base crust will be charred.
• Pipe the pastry cream filling or you can slice it sandwich style. Use a pointed round tip for filling. (#230 is recommended)
• Be careful with the caramelized sugar, its really painful if it drips on you. Caramelized the sugar in LOW FIRE and in a heavy bottomed frying pan. Hold the cream puff in its base, twirl/wipe it in the caramelized sugar. This process will take a lot of practice. Doing it FAST is the technique . Anyways, if you don't get burns you wont master it!

HAPPY CREAM PUFFING!