Edible sparklers, edible carousel, super eclair…all made with versatile cream puffs - recipes

Sunset, July, 1986

Edible sparklers, edible carousel, Super eclair . . . all made with versatile cream puffs

The simple paste used to make cream puffs is the versatile base for these fanciful party desserts. Make bite-size puffs to simulate sparklers for a Fourth of July celebration, plump puffs for a ribbon carousel, or a pair of baguette-shaped logs that turn into super eclairs.

The ingredients are staples: water, butter, flour, and eggs. Cooking and shaping take only a few minutes. To get maximum volume from the puffs, cook the dough mixture, stirring vigorously until it pulls away from the sides of the pan and forms a solid mass. Then beat in the eggs.

Pastry and filling can be made ahead.

To store and recrisp cream puffs, let them cool on racks, then wrap airtight and store at room temperature up to 12 hours; freeze for longer storage. To use, thaw if frozen, and place on a 10- by 15-inch baking pan. Bake in a 400| oven until crisp, about 5 minutes; let cool.

Cream Puff Carousel

Cream puff paste (recipe follows)

Berry filling (recipe follows)

1/2 cup blackberries or raspberries

Powdered sugar

Ribbon carousel (directions follow)

Spoon cream puff paste into 12 equal mounds (each about 3 to 4 tablespoons in size), set about 2 inches apart on a lightly greased 10- by 15-inch baking pan. Bake in a 375| oven until puffs are golden brown and feel dry and crisp, about 35 minutes; if using 1 oven, alternate pan positions halfway through baking.

Transfer to racks; while still hot, horizontally slice the top third off each puff, pushing the tops aside slightly so puffs will stay crisp as they cool. (If made ahead, store and recrisp; see directions on page 134.)

Just before serving, spoon an equal quantity of berry filling into each puff, using all; top filling in each puff with an equal amount of the same kind of berries. Replace tops; dust with powdered sugar.

Set cream puffs around the carousel; drape a loose ribbon end up to or around each puff. Pick up to eat, or eat with knife and fork. Makes 12 servings.

Cream puff paste. In a 3- to 4-quart pan, combine 1 cup water, 1/2 cup (1/4 lb.) butter or margarine, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat, uncovered. As soon as water boils and butter is melted, add 1 cup all-purpose flour, all at once. Cook and stir until the mixture pulls from sides of pan and masses together. Remove from heat and stir until flour is smoothly incorporated. Let cool 1 or 2 minutes.

To mix in a food processor, scrape hot paste into container. Add 4 large eggs, 1 at a time, processing until smooth after each addition; do not process more, or paste may work up into motor shaft.

To mix by hand, add eggs to pan, 1 at a time; beat after each addition until paste is smooth.

Let cool at least 10 minutes; shape warm or cool paste and bake as directed.

Berry filling. Place 2 small packages (3 oz. each) cream cheese in a deep bowl. With an electric mixer, beat at high speed until smooth. Add 2 cups whipping cream, all at once, and beat on low speed to blend, then on high speed just until mixture looks like stiffly whipped cream (do not overbeat, or mixture will break down).

Sift 1 cup powdered sugar. Add to cream with 1 teaspoon each almond extract and grated lemon peel. Stir in 2 cups blackberries or raspberries. If made ahead, cover and chill up to 2 hours.

Ribbon carousel. Cut a 3/8-inch-diameter wooden dowel about 24 inches long. Insert a screw eye into one end; if desired, sharpen other end into a point. Tape the ends of 4 ribbons (each about 30 in. long) about 3 inches from sharpened end of dowel. One at a time, wind ribbons in opposite directions the length of the dowel; tape ends to dowel. Pull 6 ribbons (each about 4 1/2 ft. long) through the screw eye so ribbon centers are at top of dowel. Push sharpened end of dowel into base (such as a 4- or 6-in. flowerpot containing a plant or pebbles) to hold it upright. Place base on serving table on a large paper round, basket, or board.

Cream Puff Sparklers

Cream puff paste (see preceding recipe)

Pastry cream (recipe follows)

Chocolate glaze (recipe follows)

Silver dragees (optional)

24 to 26 slender bamboo skewers, each at least 10 inches long

24 to 26 ribbons, each 12 inches long

1 watermelon (at least 15 lb.)

Put cream puff paste in a pastry bag with a plain 1/2-inch tip. Pipe dough in 1-inch mounds (each about 1 1/2 teaspoons) on lightly greased 10- by 15-inch baking pans, spacing mounds about 1 1/2 inches apart. (Or spoon paste onto pans.)

Bake puffs in a 400| oven until golden brown and crisp to touch, 25 to 30 minutes; if using 1 oven, alternate pan positions halfway through baking. Transfer to racks. Cut a small slash in lower side of each puff; let cool. (If made ahead, store and recrisp; see directions on page 134.)

Fit a pastry bag with a plain 1/8-inch tip and fill with the pastry cream. Pipe the pastry cream into each puff to fill. (Or make a small cut around center of puff and spoon pastry cream into puff.)

Dip tops of each puff into chocolate glaze; set, glaze up, slightly apart on pans. If desired, sprinkle silver dragees over glaze. Chill puffs, uncovered, until glaze is firm, at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.