Craig Claibornes Cream Puffs Recipes

PROFITEROLES (CREAM PUFFS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Lightly, but thoroughly, butter a jellyroll pan. Sprinkle the pan with flour and shake it around until well coated. Shake and tap out excess flour.
• Add the water to a saucepan and add the eight tablespoons of butter and salt to taste. Bring to the boil and add the flour, all at once, stirring vigorously and thoroughly in a circular fashion until a ball is formed and the mixture cleans the sides of the saucepan.
• Add one egg, beating thoroughly and rapidly with the spoon until it is well blended with the mixture. Add another egg, beat and so on. When all the eggs are added, fit a pastry bag with a round-tipped, number 6 pastry tube. Spoon the mixture into the bag. Holding the pastry bag straight up with the tip close to the floured surface of the pan, squeeze the bag to make mounds of pastry at intervals all over the pan. There should be about 24 mounds.
• The mounds may have pointed tips on top. To flatten these, wet a clean tea towel and squeeze it well. Open it up, fold it over in thirds. Hold it stretched directly over the mounds, quickly patting down just enough to rid the mounds of the pointed tips. Do not squash the mounds.
• Place the pan in the oven and bake 30 minutes or until the cream puffs are golden brown and cooked throughout. Remove and let cool.

CRAIG CLAIBORNE'S CREAM PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Rub a baking sheet all over with butter and sprinkle with flour. Shake sheet back and forth until surface is coated with flour. Shake off excess.
• Put water in a saucepan and add 8 tablespoons butter, salt and sugar. Bring to a boil.
• Add 1 cup flour all at once, stirring vigorously around and around with a wooden spoon until a ball is formed and no mixture is left on the sides of the saucepan.
• Add one egg, beating vigorously and rapidly with the spoon until it is well blended with the mixture. Add another egg, beat until incorporated, and continue with remaining eggs until all are beaten in.
• Fit a pastry bag with a round-tipped No. 6 pastry tube. Spoon mixture into the bag. Holding the pastry bag straight up with tip close to the floured surface of the baking sheet, squeeze it to make mounds of pastry at 2-inch intervals all over pan. There should be about 36 mounds.
• The mounds may have pointed tips on top. To flatten these, wet a clean tea towel and squeeze it well. Open it up, fold it over in thirds. Hold it stretched directly over the mounds, quickly patting down just enough to rid the mounds of the pointed tips. Do not squash the mounds.
• Place pan in oven and bake 30 minutes, or until cream puffs are golden brown and cooked through. Remove and let cool.

PROFITEROLES WITH PORT-WINE MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a skillet and add the shallots. Cook briefly, stirring.
• Add the mushrooms, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, until the liquid evaporates. Add the wine and cook until it is almost wholly evaporated.
• Add the cream and cook down about 10 minutes or until the mixture is reduced to two cups.
• Slice off the tops of all the cream puffs. Spoon an equal portion of the mixture into each cream-puff bottom. Replace the tops and serve.

CREAM PUFFS WITH CURRIED SHRIMP

Steps:

• Cut the shrimp into half-inch or slightly smaller pieces. There should be about one and one-quarter cups. Set aside.
• Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until wilted. Add the curry powder and stir to blend.
• Add the cream and chutney and cook down to about half a cup. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring, one or two minutes or until the shrimp lose their raw look throughout.
• Slice off the tops of all the cream puffs. Spoon an equal portion of the mixture into each cream-puff bottom. Replace the tops and serve.

CREAM PUFFS WITH TARRAGON CHICKEN HASH

Steps:

• Remove the skin and bones from the chicken breast and discard. Cut the meat into very small cubes. There should be about one and one-half cups. Set aside.
• Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the flour, stirring with a wire whisk. When blended, add the broth, stirring rapidly with the whisk. When thickened and smooth, stir in the cream.
• Add salt and pepper to taste, nutmeg, cayenne and tarragon. Let simmer, stirring, about two minutes.
• Add the chicken and stir. Bring to the boil.
• Slice off the tops of all the cream puffs. Spoon an equal portion of the mixture into each cream-puff bottom. Replace the tops and serve.