Cream Puffs

Source: “Chocolate” by Christine McFadden and Christine France

Ingredients

• 1 cup All Purpose Flour
• 2 Cocoa Powder
• 1 cup Water
• ½ teaspoon Salt
• 1 tablespoon Sugar
• ½ cup Unsalted Butter, Diced
• 4 Eggs

Method

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly grease two large baking sheets. Sift the flour and cocoa powder into a bowl. In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the water, salt, sugar and butter to a boil.

2. Remove from the heat and add the flour and cocoa mixture all at once, stirring vigorously until the mixture is smooth and leaves the sides of the pan clean. Return the pan to the heat to cook the mixture for 1 minute, beating constantly. Remove from the heat.

3. With a hand-held electric mixer, beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until each is well blended. The mixture should be thick and shiny and just fall from a spoon. Spoon the mixture into a large piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle (or drop from teaspoon). Pipe 12 mounds about 3 inches across at least 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.

4. Bake for 35-40 minutes until puffed and firm. Remove the puffs. Using a serrated knife, slice off and reserve the top third of each puff; return the opened puffs to the oven for 5-10 minutes to dry out. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Notes

I make very small puffs and serve them “open-faced” with whipped cream and a raspberry or two and with a drizzle of chocolate sauce. Shorten cooking time.

Chocolate Sauce (makes about 2 cups)

• 1 cup heavy or whipping cream
• ½ cup sugar
• 6 oz bittersweet chocolate
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons amaretto liqueur (very optional)

Combine the cream, sugar, chocolate, and butter in a small saucepan, and stir over low heat until thick and smooth. Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the amaretto. Cover and keep warm until ready to serve.