Espresso Cream Puffs

Submitted by Vino Girl

"From Cooking Light"

 

• Ready In: 5hrs 15mins
• Ingredients: 19
• Serves: 24

ingredients

• Cream puffs

• 1 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup nonfat milk
• 2 tablespoons butter or 2 tablespoons margarine
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder or 2 tablespoons instant coffee granules
• 2 eggs
• 1 egg white
• cooking spray

• Pastry cream

• 1⁄2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
• 1 tablespoon water
• 3⁄4 cup nonfat milk
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt
• 2 egg yolks
• 3⁄4 cup frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
• powdered sugar (optional)

directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. CREAM PUFFS: Combine flour, 2 teaspoons sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; set aside.
3. Combine 1 cup milk, butter, and espresso granules in a large saucepan; bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat to low; add flour mixture, stirring well until mixture is smooth and pulls away from sides of pan.
5. Remove mixture from heat.
6. Add eggs and egg white, 1 at a time, beating well with a wooden spoon until smooth.
7. Drop the dough by level tablespoons, 2 inches apart, onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray.
8. Bake for 10 minutes.
9. Reduce oven temperature to 350°; bake an additional 10 minutes or until browned and crisp.
10. Remove from oven; pierce the side of each cream puff with the tip of a sharp knife.
11. Turn oven off; let cream puffs stand in partially closed oven for 20 minutes.
12. Remove from baking sheet; cool completely on a wire rack.
13. PASTRY CREAM: Sprinkle gelatin over water in a small bowl; set aside.
14. Combine 3/4 cup milk and next 5 ingredients (milk through egg yolks) in a medium saucepan.
15. Place over low heat; cook until warm, stirring constantly.
16. Stir in gelatin mixture; cook over medium heat until thick (about 8 minutes), stirring constantly.
17. Remove from heat.
18. Place pan in a large ice-filled bowl; let stand 15 minutes or until room temperature (do not allow mixture to set).
19. Remove pan from ice.
20. Gently whisk in whipped topping.
21. Cover and chill 4 hours or until thick.
22. Cut tops off cream puffs; fill each cream puff with 1 tablespoon filling. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.