Is there such a thing?

[JJeannette]

Does anyone have have a recipe for lite cream puffs? I know there was something in the Nov issue but I have loaned it to a friend. Now I can't find anything via a search(I admit I may not be doing that correctly!) With Valentine's coming up, I am thinking cream puffs might be nice to make for my guys, but I'd like to enjoy one with them. Thanks for any help you can give me!

[Vanessa]

In Nov 2000 issuethere is an article" What Mom Taught me" in it appeared a recipe by Lisa Delaney's grandmother's (lightened) Espresso cream puffs

[SHERRY]

* Exported from MasterCook *

Espresso Cream Puffs

Recipe By http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gifavid Bonom
Serving Size : 24 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Desserts November 2000


Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
CREAM PUFFS:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup skim milk
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons instant coffee granules -- or 1 tablespoon instant espresso granules
2 large eggs
1 large egg white
vegetable cooking spray
PASTRY CREAM:
1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
1 tablespoon water
3/4 cup skim milk
6 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 large egg yolks
3/4 cup frozen fat-free whipped topping -- thawed
powdered sugar -- optional

Preheat oven to 400º.

To prepare cream puffs, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup;
level with a knife. Combine flour, 2 teaspoons sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon
salt; set aside. Combine 1 cup milk, butter, and espresso granules in a
large saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; add flour mixture,
stirring well until mixture is smooth and pulls away from sides of pan.
Remove mixture from heat. Add eggs and egg white, 1 at a time, beating
well with a wooden spoon until smooth.

Drop the dough by level tablespoons, 2 inches apart, onto baking sheets
coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400º for 10 minutes. Reduce oven
temperature to 350º; bake an additional 10 minutes or until browned and
crisp. Remove from oven; pierce the side of each cream puff with the tip
of a sharp knife. Turn oven off; let cream puffs stand in partially
closed oven for 20 minutes. Remove from baking sheet; cool completely on
a wire rack.

To prepare pastry cream, sprinkle gelatin over water in a small bowl; set
aside. Combine 3/4 cup milk and next 5 ingredients (milk through egg
yolks) in a medium saucepan. Place over low heat; cook until warm,
stirring constantly. Stir in gelatin mixture; cook over medium heat until
thick (about 8 minutes), stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Place
pan in large ice-filled bowl; let stand 15 minutes or until room
temperature (do not allow mixture to set). Remove pan from ice. Gently
whisk in whipped topping. Cover and chill 4 hours or until thick.

Cut tops off cream puffs; fill each cream puff with 1 tablespoon filling.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

Calories 67 (27% from fat); fat 2g (sat 0.9g, mono 01.6g, poly 0.2g);
carbohydrates 9.9g; fiber 0.2g; cholesterol 40mg; sodium 77mg; calcium
28mg.

Source:
"Cooking Light, November 2000, page 122"
S(Formatted by):
"Sue MacDonald"
Copyright:
"2000 by Southern Living Inc."
Yield:
"2 dozen"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 67 Calories; 2g Fat (28.3% calories
from fat); 2g Protein; 10g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 36mg
Cholesterol; 62mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0
Non-Fat Milk; 1/2 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

NOTES : Cream puffs never go out of style, but we added espresso powder to
give these a new flavor. To lighten them, we decreased the butter
in the puffs and used fat-free milk. We also added gelatin and
whipped topping to the pastry cream for an incredibly light and
creamy filling that holds up well. Lisa Delaney thinks her
Grandmom, Nell Hartmann, who inspired these, would approve.
Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2861 0

[JJeannette]

Thank you, Sherry. Can't wait to try these. I really appreciate your taking the time to post the recipe.

[phantomcg]

I tried making these around Christmas time but when I went to bake the creampuffs, they spread out all over the pan. The dough was way too runny. I even tried adding more flour, but no luck. I ended up throwing everything out. I had never tried to make creampuffs before, so I have no idea what I did wrong. Do anyone of you have any ideas? These sound so good and I would love to be able to try them.

Thanks,

Cheryl

[SETH885315]

i had the same experience with making cream puffs... very disappointing. i originally tried to make them after i had a wonderful dessert at a favorite italian restaurant out here... instead of cream, these were filled with chocolate mousse and served with fresh whipped cream. they were a wonderfully light and airy desert, but i couldn't get farther than making the batter at home. mine came out runny as well and, like the last poster, flour didn't help. of course, i'm still learning to cook, but it's nice to see someone else having the same problem i did... makes me feel less dopey http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

seth

[mightyh]

Cheryl - that happened to me (with a different recipe) the first time I tried to make them, too. However, the second time they turned out just fine...and I think I was more exact about measuring then.

Here's my recipe if you want to try it. It's pretty easy, actually (now!)

Cream Puffs (makes 12 large or 24 small)

1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. water
3 medium eggs

Preheat oven to 400. Bring water and butter to a boil. Add flour and stir until it leaves the sides of the pan (it should ball completely around your whisk/fork). Remove from heat. Add eggs one at a time. Beat with whisk until smooth. Drop dough (should be just slightly more liquidy than cookie dough) on heavy aluminum foil cookie sheet sprayed with Pam. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 (don't open the oven door) and bake 15 more minutes. Remove from oven and pierce side of cream puff (where you'll want to cut the cap off, about 2/3 up) with a knife. Return to turned off oven for 10 minutes (leave door open). Cool on rack. Cut in half (I twist out the egg-y inside of the puff cause I don't like it). Fill (see filling below).

Filling: 1 large box instant pudding, prepared as directed (I use vanilla)
4 oz. cool whip

Beat together. Let set before filling.

If you don't need these as finger food, they're great with your favorite chocolate syrup drizzled on top.

Mastercook says these are 75 calories and 4 g of fat for the small ones.

Do any of you baking experts out there think you could use eggbeaters with these? I guess I should experiment a little, as it's so few ingredients wasted to just whip up a batch and try...

[JJeannette]

Make sure you cook the water, butter, flour mixture until it is good and thick. Then beat the eggs in one at a time and completely before adding the next one. You may need to switch to a heavy spoon rather than a whisk to get everything beaten in completely. Or use your Kitchen Aid---. Will try the lite recipe and let you know what happens.

[phantomcg]

Mightyh:

Ok, I'll try again (maybe with your recipe). I'm pretty sure that I measured everything pretty closely, but maybe not. I also wonder if maybe I didn't stir the flour mixture in long enough?

Thanks.

Cheryl