Cream Puffs with Whipped Cream & Vanilla Filling

 

Makes 24                                      Cream Puffs on Nonni's China

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup butter 

1 cup of boiling water 

1 cup all-purpose flour 

4 eggs (room temperature) 

Directions: 

Combine butter and water in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add flour all at once, stirring rapidly.  Cook and stir just until mixture thickens and leaves the sides of pan. Remove from heat. 

Transfer dough to a small mixing bowl.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each egg, with an electric mixer on medium speed. Continue beating until the mixture looks satiny smooth. 

Chill for one hour. 

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an uncreased baking sheet, lined with parchment paper - about one inch apart.  Bake at 425 F for 15 minutes.  Reduce heat to 375F and continue baking for 30 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack. 

Filling: 

Beat 250 ml (1 cup) of whipping cream with 1 tablespoon of icing/confectioners sugar.  Add 1/2 cup of vanilla pudding (prepared).  Beat a little more till stiff.  Cut the cream puffs in half with a sharp serrated knife.  Add about 1 tablespoon of the filling on each one, and put the top back on.  Sprinkle the puffs with icing sugar. 

Drizzle melted chocolate on top of each cream puff if desired. 

Serve on a plate with raspberries, or strawberries. 

Nonni's Raisin Pie

 

Ingredients: 

2 cups of Thompson Seedless Raisins 

2 cups of water 

3 tbs flour 

¼ cup white sugar 

1-2  tbs lemon juice 

1 apple cut thinly sliced 

pinch of cinnamon

Directions: 

Combine the raisins and water together in a small saucepan.  Boil gently for about 10 minutes till 

the water just covers the raisins.  Take off the heat and add the flour/sugar and stir.  Return to heat for 1-2 minutes. 

Remove from heat and add the lemon juice.  Stir.

Set aside to cool.  

Fill pie shell with the raisin mixture. Top with the sliced apples, sprinkled with cinnamon. Cover with top crust.

Brush the crust with milk. Cut vents in the top to let out steam. 

Bake at 400F for 10 minutes and 350F for about 40 till crust is browned.