Espresso Cream Puffs

From Cooking Light

• Ready In: 5 hrs 15 mins
• 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.