Gluten Free Cream Puffs

Adventures of a Gluten Free Mom's Note:

As a child, I remember making cream puffs with my grandma and my dad. We took a short cut in the filling department though and just used Cool Whip instead of a Bavarian cream. I like them both ways, but the Cool Whip does lighten up the end product, not only in calories and fat content but they are not as filling. They are super easy to make so I hope you try them out and let me know what you think! I got the recipe from the Today Show website a few years ago.

• Total Time: 55 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 6-12

Yield: 9.0 large c ...

• 1 cup water
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 teaspoon iodized salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted (I used Tom Sawyer's GF All-Purpose Flour)
• 4 eggs
• 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 cups whipping cream (I used Cool Whip)
• powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375°.
2. Spray Pam on a large cookie sheet.
3. Pour water into a heavy saucepan. Cut butter into small pieces and add to water. Add salt. Place saucepan over medium-low heat so butter melts before the water boils. Bring water just to boil.
4. Remove pan from heat and add flour all at once, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon until dough forms into a ball and bottom of pan is filmed with flour. Let dough rest 5 minutes.
5. Add whole eggs, beating in one at a time (I did this in my food processor). Dough should be very stiff but smooth.
6. Immediately drop 1/4 cupfuls of dough 3 inches apart on a baking sheet. Or, for a neater appearance, use a pastry bag with 3/4 inch plain tip and pipe dough onto baking sheet (I make them both ways, but I do use a gallon Ziploc bag instead of a pastry bag and pipe “mini” cream puffs for when I have a party…they are very similar to the frozen cream puffs in a tub that you can buy at the store, just GF!).
7. Combine egg yolk and milk in a bowl. Brush each puff with the glaze mixture, taking care not to let the liquid drip onto the pan.
8. Bake 35 minutes (about 15 for the mini puffs) until puffed, golden brown and firm.
9. Cool puffs on wire racks, pricking each with a toothpick to allow steam to escape, or leave them in a turned-off oven with the door propped open for about an hour, until firm. If baked pastry is filled before cool and firm, it will be soggy and may collapse. Baked puffs should have hollow, moist interiors and crisp outer shells that are lightly browned.
10. Cut off tops, (I had to scoop out the moist dough) fill with whipped cream (I used a pastry bag with a large star tip).
11. Replace tops of the puffs and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Enjoy!