St. Joseph's Day Cream Puffs (Sfingi Di San Giuseppe)

Italian pastries are not real sweet like most American pastries, but the flavor is exceptionally good. Two fillings to choose from to suit your family’s taste.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 16

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup butter
• 1  dash salt
• 1  cup water
• 1  cup cake flour
• 4  eggs
• 1  tablespoon sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  orange peel, grated
• 1⁄2 teaspoon lemon peel, grated

• Ricotta Filling

• 1  lb ricotta cheese
• 2  tablespoons chocolate chips
• 1  tablespoon  candied orange peel, cut fine
• 2  tablespoons sugar, add more if you like

• Pasticciera Cream

• 3  tablespoons sugar
• 3  egg yolks
• 3  tablespoons flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  grated lemon rind
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2  cups milk
• 1  tablespoon butter

Directions

1. .Combine butter, salt and water in saucepan and bring to a boil. Add flour all at once and mix well until dough leaves sides of pan. Remove from stove and cool.
2. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
3. Add sugar, orange and lemon peel and mix thoroughly.
4. Drop by tablespoonful on a greased baking sheet, leaving 3-inch space between.
5. Bake in 400°oven 10 minutes; reduce heat to 325°and bake 30 minutes or until golden brown.
6. Ricotta Filling: Cream Ricotta well; add chocolate chips, orange peel and sugar. Mix well.
7. Pasticciera Cream: Place sugar, egg yolks, flour, lemon rind and vanilla in saucepan and mix together well.
8. Scald milk and pour over mixture, beating constantly with rotary beater. Continue cooking on low heat, stirring with wooden spoon until mixture reaches the boiling point. Cook four minutes longer stirring constantly.
9. Remove from stove and add butter and mix well.
10. Pour into a bowl and let cool, stirring occasionally to prevent skin from forming over top.
11. Make a slit in the side of each and fill with the Pasticciera Cream or with Ricotta Filling.