A Christmas Tradition/ Breakfast

I made these one year for Christmas breakfast and somehow it became a tradition. Because they "wilt" in High humidity, I make these Chrismas morning...not Christmas Eve.This recipe makes 16 to 20 cream puffs.

Cream Puffs-

1 cup butter

2 cups boiling water

2 cups sifted flour

½ tsp. salt

8 eggs

Melt the butter in boiling water. Add flour and salt all at once and beat with a spoon until thoroughly integrated. Stir until the mixture forms a ball that doesn’t come apart. Remove from stove and let cool slightly. Add the eggs one at a time beating well with electric mixer. (The only leavening in this recipe is the eggs, so if you don’t beat well with a heavy duty mixer, you will end up with flats not puffs) Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls 3” apart on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and “pull” the tops off. Fill when cooled.

(By the time I get the filling made they are usually cool enough to fill)

Cream puff filling -Makes enough for 16-20 cream puffs (if I don’t double the cream puff recipe, I let the kids have the extra.)

3/4 c sugar

3Tlb. Cornstarch

¼ tsp salt

2 c milk

2 slightly beaten egg yolks

2Tlb. butter

1 tsp vanilla

In a sauce pan, blend sugar, cornstarch and salt; slowly add the milk and mix. Cook, stirring constantly over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Cook two more minutes and remove from heat. Stir a little of the hot mixture into the beaten eggs, then stir the egg mixture back into the hot mix. Return to heat and cook 2 more minutes, then add the butter and vanilla. Remove from heat. Spoon into opened cream puffs (about 1Tlb each and replace tops. Sift confectioners’ sugar over finished cream puffs and serve.

These don’t keep well they lose their “crustiness” after only a few hours. I always make then Christmas morning although the kids don’t seem to care when they get soft, they eat them anyway.