25. A delicious form of dessert that is usually classed with small cakes
includes cream puffs and éclairs. They are made of a special kind of
paste that, when baked, becomes hollow in the center, very much as
popovers do. The inside is then filled with a mixture similar to a
custard mixture or with sweetened and flavored whipped cream. Many
persons have an idea that these mixtures are very difficult to make, but
the fact is that they may be easily made if the directions for preparing
them are carefully followed.
[Illustration: FIG. 19]
26. After the paste has been mixed, the way it is to be treated will
depend on whether cream puffs or éclairs are to be made. For cream
puffs, which are shown in Fig. 19, it is dropped by spoonfuls on a cooky
sheet or a large pan, while in the case of éclairs, several of which are
shown in Fig. 20, it is forced through a large round pastry tube so as
to form long strips. The shapes are then baked in a hot oven, and during
this process they puff up and become hollow in the center. If, upon
attempting to fill the shells thus made, the centers are found to
contain a little moist, doughy material, this may be removed. The
filling may then be introduced either by cutting a slit in the side and
putting it in with a spoon or by inserting the end of a pastry tube into
the shell and forcing it in with a pastry bag and tube. In addition to
being filled with a filling of some kind, éclairs are covered, as here
shown, with an icing that usually corresponds in flavor with the
filling. For instance, chocolate éclairs are filled with a chocolate
filling and covered with a chocolate icing, while coffee éclairs have a
coffee filling and a coffee icing.
[Illustration: FIG. 20]
Very small cream puffs are attractive and are often served with small
cakes for an afternoon tea or a buffet luncheon. These may be made by
dropping the paste with a teaspoon on a cooky sheet, baking it until
done, and then filling the shells with any desired paste.
CREAM PUFFS
(Sufficient for 1 Dozen Cream Puffs)
1/2 c. butter
1 C. boiling water
1 c. flour
4 eggs
Boil the butter and water together until the butter is melted. Add the
flour by pouring it all in at one time. Stir rapidly and cook until the
mass does not stick to the sides of the pan. Continue the stirring so
that it does not burn. Remove from the fire and cool, so as not to cook
the eggs when they are added. Add one egg at a time and mix thoroughly
with the mixture before adding another. Drop by spoonfuls on a greased
cooky sheet, place close to the floor of the oven, and bake in a hot
oven for about 30 minutes or until the puffs are dry and can be lifted
from the sheet. Allow them to cool and then fill with whipped cream or a
custard filling. Before serving, sprinkle powdered sugar over the top
of each.