Lemon Cream Puffs

Attending a private college was an expensive investment that, upon reviewing my debt, often leaves me questioning my sanity. However, it is people like Grace and Allen, my hall parents from the dorm hall I lived in my first two years, that make me realize that going to Asbury University is a priceless experience because of the relationships that are formed and the way God moves in that place. I know that I am truly cared for by the staff, faculty, and community of Asbury. Even the other day, I met an Asbury alumnus in a nearby town and they give me their contact information, "just in case you ever need any help at all."

Grace and Allen had some of us former First Glide (my hall's name) girls over for a delicious dinner on Sunday evening. We had bang-bang shrimp, biscuits with honey-cinnamon butter, an Asian salad, and strawberry cakes. It was all delicious. They also shared some other recipes with us, like the lemon cream puff recipe below. I made them today to see how they'd turn out and will probably be making them again on Tuesday for the get-together. I always thought cream puffs would be a long and arduous process, but I was definitely wrong.

These are easy and way too easy to just pop in your mouth, one after the other =). I think I will try a chocolate filling on Tuesday, yum.

This makes about 20 cream puffs. 20 is great if you are serving this as a finger food or appetizer or have guests who are trying to not overdo dessert.

If you are serving it as the main event/dessert, you may want to make 10 very large cream puffs instead (you would then use double the filling on each puff).

Cream Puffs

1/2 cup (1/4 lb.) butter, cubed

1 cup all-purpose flour

4 large eggs

1 recipe of filling

In a 3- to 4-quart pan, combine 1 cup water and butter; bring to a boil over high heat. Add flour all at once and stir quickly until mixture pulls away from pan sides and masses together. Remove from heat and stir until flour is incorporated and mixture is smooth. Let cool about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Mix by hand, add eggs, one at a time, to warm butter-flour mixture in pan, stirring after each addition until dough is smooth and satiny.

Spoon Cream Puff Dough into 20 equal mounds (about 1 tablespoon each) about 2 inches apart on two lightly buttered 12- by 15-inch baking sheets.

Bake in at 400° until puffs are golden, about 30 minutes; if baking the sheets at the same time in one oven, switch their positions halfway through. Transfer puffs to racks to cool completely.

Slice the top third off each puff. Fill each bottom with a very generous tablespoon of filling (actually, about 2 tablespoons). Cover with tops, and drizzle each puff with 2 to 3 teaspoons chocolate ice cream topping or sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar, if desired.

Lemon Filling

2 eggs, beaten

2/3 cup sugar

6 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 cup butter, cubed

2 cups heavy whipping cream

4 teaspoons sugar

In a heavy saucepan, combine the eggs, sugar, lemon juice and butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 5-7 minutes or until mixture is thick enough to coat a metal spoon.

Remove from heat. Cool quickly by placing pan in a bowl of ice water; stir for 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; press plastic wrap onto surface of filling and chill for 1 hour or until partially set.

In a mixing bowl, beat cream and sugar until stiff peaks form; fold into chilled lemon mixture.