Donna’s Cream Puffs

I remember going to the Wisconsin State Fair when I was a child and we always stood in a long line to get cream puffs. Now I can make my own. It is an easy recipe but it does take a strong arm to stir the flour and egg mixture together. Cream puffs may seem decadent but they can be lower in calories than you might think. Some calories are cut by combining sugar-free pudding with the real whipped cream. These will surely impress your family and guests.

1 cup water 1/2 cup butter or margarine 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup flour 4 eggs (or 2 eggs and ½ cup Egg Beaters)

Filling:1 box (38 grams) sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix 1-3/4 cups fat-free milk 1 cup whipping cream

Topping (optional):1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease and flour two large baking sheets or line the sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium sized saucepan, heat water, butter, and salt until it boils. Remove from heat and add flour. Stir with a wooden spoon until mixture forms a ball. Add eggs one at a time, beating each one with a wooden spoon until it is well mixed. Drop batter on baking sheets forming 16 small balls. Keep balls several inches from each other to allow for expansion. Bake for 40 minutes. Turn off oven and bake another 20 minutes.

For the filling, beat pudding mix and milk with electric mixer for 1 minute. Refrigerate until set. Using a chilled bowl, beat whipping cream until very stiff. Add about half of the pudding and mix well. Cover and refrigerate.

When ready to serve, fill cream puffs with whipped cream mixture.

For optional chocolate topping, melt chocolate chips in non-stick skillet over lowest heat. Spread on tops of cream puffs.

Serves 16

Nutritional information per serving:

Calories 150 Fat 12 Protein 3 Carb 8 Cholesterol 80 Fiber 0