My MIL always uses the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book. Well, it may have been new when she gave it to me as a bride 35 years ago, lol. It it is the only recipe I've ever used. I think it rises high and works well for cream puffs.

Cream Puffs

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs

Melt butter in 1 cup boiling water. Add flour and salt all at once; stir vigorously. Cook and stir mixture until it forms a ball that doesn't separate. remove from heat; cool slightly. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each until smooth. (MIL adds them all at once, and her cream puffs don't rise as well).

Drop by heaping tablespoons 3 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 450F for 15 minutes, then at 325F for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, split. Turn oven off; put cream puffs back in to dry about 20 minutes. Cool on rack. Makes 10

Judy

Judy, too funny because I was just thinking of the BHG recipe that my Mom always made for cream puffs. They were so good and I have not had them since I was in high school (too long ago to think about)!:)

My Mom's BHG Cookbook was a little older then the one that I have. The recipe is a little bit different. I will type up if interested.

But, I know the ones that my Mom made and they were so good - excellent memory for me to think about now that she is gone. And as Judy said, in the book they use the same for eclairs.

I think that recipe is pretty standard...it's the one I use.
_Perhaps you didn't cook the mix long enough after you added the flour? maybe you didn't beat enough after adding each egg? maybe your oven wasn't hot enough?
Try again....they are really hard to mess up!
Linda C

Well, well, well...Julia's recipe calls for 1 cup water!
here is the recipe
1 cup water
3/4 stick butter
1/8 tsp salt
1 tlbs. sugar
1 cup flour
1 cup eggs (about 5 large)

I cooked the flour mixture a bit like recommended, I pricked to let out steam...the oven temp was set at 425* for about 20 minutes...

So, you think it was the water? Because I've looked at recipes that required water or a water/milk combo.

Thank you much for the help my friends :)

It's not the water.

The recipes I use for choux pastry be it gougeres, cream puffs or shells for appetizers all call for water or half water half milk and they puff beautifully.

I've used Julia's recipe many a time and always with success.

The only time I have had choux pastry let me down was if the dough was too cool. It needs to be room temp.

Ding dong that I can be... I didn't read thru your directions Judy...there is a cup of water :)
I'll give them another whirl today, see if I might have made them too wet with eggs that were HUGE.
Thanks all for the support :)
Deborah

Dixiedog, I am sorry you lost your mom. It is good to have pleasant memories. I don't have any with my mom.

My MIL, though, I have tons of them :D Cream puffs was the birthday treat rather than cake when DH was young. We have adopted the tradition. It's fun, but VERY messy to eat.

Deborah, I was going to make sweet rolls for the construction workers' break tomorrow morning. You changed my plan!

Judy

deborah, the eggs could very well be the problem. Your dough needs to be glossy and fairly stiff, stiff enough to hold it's shape perfectly when spooned on to the cooking sheet. No sagging or spreading.

I generally use 4 extra large or 5 medium.

Deborah, no worries :) I copied the recipe directly from the cookbook, and should have added the water to the list of ingredients. Good luck on your next attempt.

Don't all laugh at once.....if the weather is damp the choux pastry doesn't puff up like it should. I always make sure I make them on a sunny day.

Measure your eggs......should have a cup....usually 4 good big eggs....but sometimes 4 plus a little more.
Thinking cream puffs with shrimp salad is a pretty neat lunch!
Linda C

I made cream puffs for the construction crew's morning break. They loved them :D

The cream is the easy method using vanilla pudding and whipping cream. I made the chocolate sauce topping by the seat of my pants, since I couldn't find a recipe with the ingredients I had on hand.

They said they would do especially good work on my bakery, lol.

Judy

I made Chocolate Eclairs last week.

I also made some "puffs" and filled them with the same filling along with raspberries.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Choux Pastry
============
Soure: Harrods Cookery Book 1985

3/4 cup unbleached flour
pinch of salt
3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons water
6tablespoons butter
3 eggs, beaten

Sift the flour and salt onto a sheet of wax paper. Place the water and butter in a saucepan and heat, melting the butter before boiling point is reached. Bring to a rolling boil, and immediately pour in the flour. Remove the pan from the heat. Beat the mixture until it is smooth and leaves the sides of the pan. Cool, then gradually beat in enough eggs to make the mixture glossy and smooth, and of a dropping consistency. You may not need to add all the eggs. Do not add the eggs while the mixture is warm or the eggs may scramble.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Custard Filling

1/2 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups milk
4 to 5 ounces of White Chocolate (Optional)

1 cup of whipping cream
powdered sugar
pinch of salt

Combine the sugar, flour, and salt in a saucepan. Gradually stir in the milk. Cook over low heat, stirring until the mixture comes to a boil. Boil, stirring for 1 minute. Beat the egg yolks slightly. Gradually stir in about half the thickened sauce. Return to the heat and cook. stirring 2 or 3 minutes longer to take away the flour taste. Remove from the heat and add the white chocolate. Stir until melted. Add vanilla. Pour into bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place wrap on surface of custard. This stops a "skin" from forming. Refrigerate until cold.

Beat cream with sugar until thick. Fold cream into custard.

Chocolate

4 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate
1 tablespoon butter

Melt chocolate and butter together. Stir until smooth.
Dip top of eclair into melted chocolate.

Cut top of eclair. Dip top in melted chocolate. Fill eclair with cream and top with chocolate coated lid.

Oh, Ann, where were you three hours ago?? I looked online for your chocolate sauce recipe and couldn't find it.

They look delicious. I have fresh raspberries for the family cream puffs this evening.

I'm thinking raspberries and chocolate scones would be pretty yummy!

Linda, I make AnnT's Raspberry(Cream) Scones and put in a big handfull (okay 2) of white chocolate chips. (the good kind)...

They are a huge hit with Hubby and anyone else that's give them a taste.

Just pulled some scones out with the White Chocolate Chips and fresh from the garden strawberry quarters...Smells devine in here!

I do prefer dark/semi sweet chocolate with my berries...but I'd be the only one to probably eat them here...so have not tried adding "dark" chocolate.