Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F.
2. Place water, butter and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring with a wooden spoon.
3. Add flour all at once. Stir briskly until dough is smooth and flour is well blended.
4. When the dough begins to pull away from the sides and bottom of the pan, continue stirring for another 3 minutes to let it dry a bit.
5. Place dough in a bowl. Add eggs one at a time, ensuring each one is completely blended in before adding the next one.
6. Keep working the dough until smooth and shiny. It should hold a soft peak when lifted with a spoon.
7. Place the dough in a pastry bag and squeeze small cream puffs onto a baking sheet lined with waxed paper.
8. Bake 20-25 minutes until puffed and golden. Cool on a rack.

Quick Pastry Cream

1. In a small saucepan, bring to a boil 500 ml (2 cups) of milk and the rind of 1 lemon cut in a single strip with a paring knife.
2. In a bowl, beat together 4 egg yolks and 125 ml (1/2 cup) sugar. Add 75 ml (5 tbsp.) flour, mix well.
3. Remove lemon rind from milk.
4. Heat the flour mixture by slowly adding a little of the hot milk. Blend well, then empty contents of bowl into the saucepan with the rest of the milk. Stir constantly over medium heat until boiling. Remove from heat, add 15 ml (1 tbsp.) butter. Allow to cool.
5. For chocolate cream, add 1 square (30 g) melted unsweetened chocolate.
6. For coffee cream, add 30 ml (2 tablespoons) instant coffee dissolved in a little boiling water.
7. To fill the puffs, use a pastry bag fitted with a small cone-shaped tip.