Do not be afraid – it is not that hard.  And so impressive!  Have the ingredients at room temperature.  We stuff 2 inch puffs with a mixture of crab, hard boiled eggs, celery, and mayonnaise for a fancy hors d’oeuvre.  

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c flour – sift before measuring
• 1/2 c milk
• 1/4 c butter (1 stick)
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 eggs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven 400°.
2. Heat milk.
3. Add butter.
4. Bring to the boiling point.
5. Add the flour and salt.
6. Cook and stir (with a wooden spoon) until the batter leaves the sides of the pan and forms a ball.
7. Remove from fire.
8. Beat in eggs, one at a time, making sure to blend well before adding second egg.
9. Chill the dough for at least half an hour.
10. Place a spoonful of batter in 2 inch round on a greased tin, heaping them well in the center.   Allow 2 inches between the puffs.
11. Bake them at 400° for 30 minutes.
12. Reduce heat to 350° for 5 minutes.
13. Test the puffs by removing one from the oven.  If it does not fall i is done.
14. When the puffs cool cut a gash in the side of each puff and fill them with sweeten whip cream, custard, or ice cream.

Serves:   Makes 6 large puffs or eclairs or 30 1 inch puffs.

Source:   Joy of cooking.

Notes:   When you double the recipe, use only one extra egg. (today’s eggs are larger than when the book was written)

We used a 1 oz scoop to make the cocktail puffs.  Baked them 20 minutes at 400° and 10 minutes at 300°.  Cut the top almost off to fill.  2 time the recipe made 40 puffs.