So, what have I said about measuring when you bake? Hm? I'm hard of hearing, I can't HEEEaaar you...
Ah yes, the lady in red gets the prize! You WEIGH out EVERYTHING, so go on out and buy yourself a $35 scale at Target if you're serious about being the little Suzy home baker. And don't forget to Tare (zero out) out the container that you are weighing out your stuff into. Yes, you have to take into account the weight of the bowl or cup, and yes, the Big bowl weighs More than the Small cup so, tare tare tare every time you change containers for different ingredients. It's not that I think you're a dim bulb, au contraire mon ami, most people just don't think about zeroing out and just forget to take such things into consideration. So in the words of the infamous Mighty Mouse, "Here I come to save the DAAAAY!!!"
meh, why do I waste my time on young people who don't even know who Mighty Mouse is? lol Type in the quote and you'll find it on youtube...
Okay, take the water and butter and bring it to a boil. No, Don't walk away because when it comes to a boil you want to put the flour in RIGHT away... Why? What happens to water when it boils? Lady in red gets the last dance! It turns to steam and disappears into thin air, so? Well, you're so precise in measuring and now you have to go pee and your water comes to a boil and what was 1 cup is now 3/4 of a cup and you pour your flour in after you've thoroughly washed your hands and then you wonder why your cream puffs didn't PUFF!...Sheesh, must I explain Everything???
So, your water comes to a boil, pour in ALL of the flour at once, and using a spoon or silicone spatula, stir, stir, stir until the flour pulls away from the side of the pot and it's now become a ball of dough, All the while it is over the flame. Stir it over the flame for about 1 minute more after it becomes a ball.
Remove the pot from the flame and begin stiring in the eggs 1 or 2 at a time depending on how much you're making. Make sure that the egg is COMPLETELY stirred into the dough before you add the next. This is Best done with a mixer but if you don't have one then use your guns and stir up a storm.
Now, before you add that last egg, Check the dough for elasticity. Take a glob of dough in between your thumb and finger then space out your fingers and see if the dough stretches out or just breaks. If you have a nice stretch then you don't have to add that last bit of egg or 2 depending on how big your batch is. I'll try and find the vid and upload it, /sigh I've been slacking and have tons of vids to sort through.
So, now you can either scoop or pipe out your dough, as directed, onto your sheet pan and bake it at suggested temp. Yes, it's cooked at a High heat like 400° ... Why? Because the High heat causes the Moisture/water in the dough to turn into steam which in turn causes the rise in the dough and then the high heat cooks the dough to keep its form. But! Don't get all anxious and just take out the puffs because they are a nice golden brown or "looks pretty". It's more of a dark coppertone tan that you're looking for. If you take the puffs out of the oven too soon, then all the moisture will not have cooked out and your puffs will not be cooked all the way and that moisture will still be steaming up inside your puff, clinging on to the top and eventually the top will start to say "Hey! You're too heavy" and your puff will give way and deflate like a balloon and once this happens well, there is no saving it. No, it won't go puff if you put it back in the oven...you'll just have to start again.
Puffs are "Light" and fluffy, not Heavy so pick up a puff and test it's weight. It should feel like, Yes, a ball of air. Cool, and fill with, well, with whatever you want!
My cheater filling is a package of vanilla instant pudding and stir in some whipped cream (add a little bit more vanilla). But after learning how to make the filling from scratch, the flavor is so much better from scratch that I'll only make the cheater version if i'm too lazy. If you really want to make a swan, click on the link to my Youtube channel.
That's my blip for my BFFs today! Enjoy...
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