Cream Puff the Magic Dragon

I found this recipe in the Rachael Ray magazine. The cream is amazing but I wasn't crazy about the shells, so I replaced them with a better recipe and added my own chocolate sauce. These are really pretty when they are finished. I looked everywhere to find a homemade pastry cream and couldn't find anything, all the recipes called for pudding mix and whipped cream. Finally, I found this and it's perfect! I have do have a one tip though: when you open the oven to get the shells out, make sure you open REALLY slowly. If you open it quickly, they'll fall flat (believe me, I've done it). 



Perfect Cream Puffs

Shell ingredients:

• 1/2 c. butter
• 1 c. water
• 1/4 tsp. salt (I add a little more)
• 1 c. flour
• 4 eggs

Directions:Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large pot, bring water and butter to a boil. Stir in flour and salt until mixture forms a ball. Transfer dough to a large bowl. Using a wooden spoon, stir eggs one a time, mixing well after each addition. Drop by large spoonfuls onto lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Crack open the oven slowly to let steam escape. Cool completely before use.

Pastry cream:

• 2 tsp. butter
• 2 c. whole milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/2 c. w. sugar
• 1/4 c. cornstarch
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/8 salt
• 1 c. heavy cream

Directions:

Place butter in a stainless steal bowl. In a heavy saucepan, whisk together milk, egg yolks, sugar cornstach, vanilla and salt and cook over medium-high heat, whisking constently, (whatever you do, don't stop whisking. It'll seem unnessicary, but the custard will thicken all at once and when it does, you don't want clumps.) When it thickens, pour over the butter and stir to incorperate. Cover the mixture with waxed paper placed directly onto the surface of the custard. Chill in the refrigerater until completely cool. Whip the cream until stiff, fold into the custard in three batches.

Glossy chocolate sauce:

• 4 oz. chocolate
• 1 c. corn syrup
• 1 Tbs. butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

In a double boiler, melt chocolate until smooth. Add corn syrup and remove from heat. Quickly add butter and vanilla.

Split shells using a serated knife. Pipe the cream in with a pastry bag. Top with the chocolate sauce.