Bud's Famous Cream Puffs

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) butter
• 1/4 tsp. iodized salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
• 4 eggs
• 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
• 2 Tbsp. milk
• 2 cups custard see recipe below
• Sifted powdered sugar

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Butter and flour one very large or two small baking sheets, or line with parchment paper.

2. Pour water into heavy saucepan. Cut butter into small pieces and add to water. Add salt. Place saucepan over medium-low heat so butter melts before water boils. Bring water just to boil.

3. Remove pan from heat and add flour all at once, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon until dough forms into a ball and bottom of pan is filmed with flour. Let dough rest 5 minutes.

4. Add whole eggs, beating in one egg at a time. Dough should be stiff but smooth.

5. Immediately drop 1/4 cupfuls of dough 3 inches apart on baking sheet.

6. Combine egg yolk and milk in a small bowl. Brush each puff with glaze mixture, taking care not to let liquid drip onto pan.

7. Bake 35 minutes, until puffed, golden brown and firm.

8. Cool puffs on wire racks, pricking each with a cake tester or toothpick to allow steam to escape, or leave them in a turned-off oven with the door propped open for about an hour, until firm. Be sure they are really cool and firm before you fill or they may collapse. Baked puffs should have hollow, moist interiors and crisp outer shells that are lightly browned.

9.Add the cone shaped tip to a Mirro Cookie Press, Fill with the cooled custard mixture, by carefully inserting the tip into the cream puff shell and turn until filled or you could also use a pastry decorating bag or cone shaped wax paper.

Egg Custard

1/3 c. sugar 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour 1 tbsp. cornstarch pinch of salt 1 1/2 c. milk 1 slightly beaten egg yolk 1 tsp. vanilla 1/2 c. whipping cream, whipped

In saucepan, combine sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir until mixture thickens and boils; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes longer. Stir a little hot mixture into egg yolk; return to hot mixture. Cook and stir until mixture just boils. Add vanilla; cool. Beat smooth and fold in whipped cream. Fill cream puffs.

Lightly dust with confectioners sugar using a sieve or baking sifter.

Makes 12 cream puffs

In our quiet little neighborhood of Seventh Avenue in Alpha, New Jersey 1968-1985 my father William "Bud" Dunwell was known for his culinary skills in baking and candy making.

His most famous of treats were his fluffy and delicious cream puffs. He recorded his recipe in the back of a very old cook book. He experimented with several recipes until he felt he had reached perfection. He did the same with his bread and his pickle recipes.

He was often seen handing out cream puffs to the neighbors and to the lady who delivered his Easton Express newspaper. At his funeral in August of 1985 the lady who delivered his newspaper came up to me and said, "God took your dad because he needed a great baker in Heaven, his cream puffs were the best!"

The best thing about my dad's cream puffs is that he was the kind of friendly neighbor who gave them to his neighbors in an act of love and kindness! I would certainly hope that he is remembered that way, and when his name is mentioned it is mentioned with love and kindness too!