raspberry cream puffs

Goodie number 2 for the day was cream puffs.  (although I have yet to make the cream to go in them.)  I have never actually tried to make cream puffs before.  They were surprisingly easy. (other than the fact that it gave me a really good arm workout from stirring.)   The recipe is from this month's Everyday food magazine.  First time I have tried that magazine.  I'm not a huge fan of they way they type the recipes up.  They don't list the ingredients in a list.  Oh well, this was a fun new recipe so I'm not going to complain too much.
I followed their recipe exactly for the puffs, I made up my own middle, and followed their directions again for the glaze.  Alone the puffs are quite eggy.  To be expected I'm sure since that seems to be what makes them puff.  However, with the cream and chocolate they are quite good.  I should have taken a better picture - maybe one with the cream puff cut in half - oops.  This is the best I have - never claimed to be a photographer.  :)

The puffs:
Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup flour
• 4 large eggs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425.  Line 2 cookie sheet with parchment paper (I ran out and used non-stick aluminum foil.)  In a small saucepan bring water, butter and sugar to a boil over high heat.
2. Immediately remove from heat.  With a wooden spoon, stir in flour.  Continue to stir until mixture pulls away from sides of the pan. (recipe said 2 minutes, took more like 30 seconds.)  Let cool 2 minutes.
3. Add eggs 1 at a time, mixing after each addition until batter comes together.  (the arm workout part.)
4. Transfer batter to a large zip-top bag.  Twist and squeeze bag so batter is in one corner.  With scissors, snip a 1/2 inch opening in the corner.
5. Pipe batter into desired size mounds on cookie sheet 1 inch apart. (I made mine between 1 and 1 1/2 teaspoons in size.  It made between about 80 puffs)  With a wet finger, smooth pointy tops.  Bake 10 minutes.  Reduce oven temperature to 350 and bake until puffs are golden brown and feel light and hollow inside, 20-30 minutes.  Let cool on sheets on wire racks.

The filling and assembly instructions

Ingredients

• 1 8 oz package neufchatel (1/3 less fat cream cheese), softened
• 4 oz. fat free cool whip 
• 1/3 cup raspberry jam

Directions

1. Beat the cream cheese and jam until smooth and creamy.  Fold in the cool whip.
2. To fill puffs;  Use a toothpick to make a hole in the bottom of the puff.  Place cream cheese mixture in a zip top bag or pastry bag fit with a large holed icing tip.  (recipe showed just the bag with a 1/4 inch opening snipped in the bottom,  but I thought it would be easier to stick something hard and metal in the opening of the puff than something soft and plastic.)  Fill puffs with cream mixture.  

The glaze

Ingredients

• 4 oz semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 Tablespoon light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions

1. Heat cream just to a boil.  Immediately pour over chocolate and let sit 2 minutes.  Stir until mixture is smooth.  (Wow, should have followed these directions.  I didn't chop the chocolate and just started stirring when I poured the boiling cream over the chocolate.  I wasn't fond of the method -upon reading directions more carefully I see why.  I can tell it was the end of a very long cooking day. :)
2. Dip top half of each puff in chocolate glaze.  Place on foil lined baking sheet (just to avoid the mess) and refrigerate, uncovered for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.  (Hmm, mine are going to stay there ovenight.  Hope they are fine.)