Lemon Custard Cream Puff Tree Recipes

LEMON CREAM PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. In a large saucepan, bring water and butter to a boil. Add flour all at once, stirring until a smooth ball forms. Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until mixture is smooth. , Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 3 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks. Immediately split puffs and remove tops; discard soft dough from inside. Set puffs and tops aside to cool., For filling, in a small heavy saucepan, combine egg, sugar, lemon juice and butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Transfer to a small bowl; refrigerate until partially set., In a large bowl, beat cream and sugar until stiff peaks form; fold into lemon mixture. Fill cream puffs; replace tops. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

LEMON CUSTARD-CREAM PUFF TREE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425°F.
• Bring 1 cup water, butter and 1 tsp. granulated sugar to boil in medium saucepan. Add flour; cook and stir 3 min. or until mixture forms ball. Spoon into large bowl. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, with mixer until blended. Spoon into freezer-weight resealable plastic bag; cut 1 corner from bottom of bag. Use to squeeze dough into 17 (1-1/2-inch) mounds on baking sheet.
• Bake 45 min., reducing oven temperature to 350ºF after 20 min. Turn oven off; open door slightly. Let cream puffs stand in oven 15 min. Remove from oven; cool completely.
• Meanwhile, bring remaining granulated sugar and water to boil in medium saucepan on medium heat; cook on medium heat 8 min., stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add dry gelatin mixes; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Add evaporated milk, lemon zest and juice; mix well. Refrigerate 45 min. or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Gently stir in COOL WHIP.
• Cut cream puffs horizontally in half with serrated knife. Gently remove tops; remove and discard soft dough from centers. Spoon COOL WHIP mixture into bottom halves of cream puffs; replace tops. Arrange 15 cream puffs on platter to resemble Christmas tree shape. Add remaining puffs at bottom for the trunk. Sprinkle tree with powdered sugar. Garnish with raspberries and mint.

CREAM PUFF CHRISTMAS TREE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring water and butter to a boil over medium heat. Add flour and salt; stir until a smooth ball forms. Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. continue beating until mixture is smooth and shiny., Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2-in. apart onto greased baking sheets. (You will need about 62 puffs to make the tree.) Use a moistened finger to smooth any peaks., Bake at 400° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to wire racks to cool., For filling, in a large bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar and rum extract if desired until stiff peaks form., Insert round tip #7 into a pastry or resealable plastic bag; fill with the whipped cream. With a sharp knife, cut a small slit in the side of each puff. Insert pastry tip into slits; fill each puff with whipped cream. Refrigerate for up to 2 hours., For icing, combine confectioners' sugar and enough cream to achieve desired consistency. Stir in food coloring if desired., To assemble tree: Separate puffs according to size and shape, choosing the flattest ones for the bottom layer and the smallest ones for the top. Spread the bottom of 18 puffs with icing. Place on the serving platter, forming a 9-in.-diameter solid circle. , For the second layer, spread icing on the bottoms of 18 puffs, then position above the space of the base layer of puffs. , Continue building tree in this manner using about 14 puffs in third layer, about seven puffs in fourth layer, about four puffs in fifth layer and one puff on top., To decorate: Insert round tip #7 into a pastry or resealable plastic bag and fill with remaining icing. Drizzle over tree. Trim with cherries if desired., The completed tree may be loosely covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 2 hours. Just before serving, dust with confectioners' sugar if desired.

LEMON CUSTARD PUDDING CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease one 2 quart baking dish. Separate the eggs.
• In a large bowl, combine the flour, butter and 1 1/2 cups of the white sugar.
• Beat the egg yolks and add to the sugar mixture along with the milk and lemon zest. Mix well and add the lemon juice.
• In another bowl beat egg whites until stiff, slowly adding the remaining 1/2 cup white sugar. Fold the egg whites into the batter. Pour batter into the prepared dish.
• Place the dish in a shallow pan of hot water and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 55 to 60 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm of chilled with confectioners' sugar dusted on top.

LEMON CURD FOR CREAM PUFFS

Steps:

• Whisk together egg, yolks, sugar, lemon zest and juice, and salt. Bring to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly. Cook until mixture is thickened, 4 to 5 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl. Whisk in butter. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of lemon curd, and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

LEMON CUSTARD FILLING

Steps:

• In a large saucepan or double boiler combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Mix well. Beat the egg yolks and water together, then whisk into sugar mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and butter. Cover with plastic wrap until completely cooled.

CREAM PUFFS WITH LEMON-CREAM FILLING

Steps:

• For lemon-cream filling:
• Combine sugar, egg, lemon juice, lemon peel, and pinch of salt in heavy small saucepan; whisk to blend. Add butter. Stir constantly over medium-low heat until curd is hot and thick enough to coat spoon (do not boil), 4 to 5 minutes.
• Transfer lemon curd to medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat cream in another medium bowl until peaks form. Fold whipped cream into curd in 3 additions. Cover and chill filling 1 hour. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Keep chilled.
• For cream puffs:
• Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 425°F. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Bring first 4 ingredients to boil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat, stirring with wooden spoon until butter melts. Add flour all at once and stir vigorously until dough forms and pulls away from sides of pan. Continue to stir until film forms on pan bottom, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer dough to large bowl. Cool 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1 egg and, still using wooden spoon, beat until blended. Add remaining 5 eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each, then beat until dough is smooth and shiny, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Working in batches, transfer dough to pastry bag fitted with 1/2-inch plain round tip. Pipe 1- to 1 1/4-inch mounds, spaced about 2 inches apart, onto prepared baking sheets. Using wet finger, smooth tops of mounds.
• Bake puffs 15 minutes. Reverse baking sheets. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Continue to bake until puffs are dry, firm, and deep golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes longer. Cool puffs on baking sheets.
• For assembly:
• Cut each puff horizontally in half; pull out any soft dough. Fill puff bottoms with 1 tablespoon lemon-cream filling. Place egg-shaped candy atop filling, if desired. Press on puff tops to adhere.
• Place white chocolate in medium metal bowl. Set bowl over small saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir until chocolate is soft and almost melted. Remove from over water; stir until completely melted and smooth. Using teaspoon, drizzle white chocolate decoratively over each cream puff. Arrange filled puffs on platter. Refrigerate until chocolate glaze sets, at least 15 minutes and up to 3 hours.

LIME CURD PUFF PASTRY CUPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425*F
• If puff pastry sheets are frozen, allow to thaw so you can unfold the sheets.
• Make Lime Curd if you have not done so already.
• Once puff pastry sheets are malleable, unfold puff pastry sheets.
• Cut each sheet at the crease marks to create 3 long strips per sheet. Then cut three strips across to create 9 squares. Repeat steps 4 & 5 for second sheet of puff pastry.
• Spray a muffin tin with non-stick spray.
• Place one square of puff pastry in easy muffin cup. Gently press down to create a cup.
• Place a Tablespoon of Lime Curd in the center of each puff pastry cup.
• If you do not want the meringue topping, skip down to step #16
• Pour egg whites in a new VERY CLEAN bowl.
• Whip egg whites until big, glossy and smooth.
• Add cream of tartar and whip for 30 seconds more.
• While whipping, slowly add sugar about a Tablespoon at a time all sugar has been added.
• Continue beating until stiff peaks form.
• Scoop whipped Meringue on top of lime curd.
• Bake for 10 Minutes or until puff pastry sheets are puffed and golden and meringue is golden on the peaks.
• Remove from oven. Allow to cool then remove from muffin tin.
• Sprinkle any cups without meringue with powdered sugar.
• Devour! Store extras in an air tight container for up to 4 days.