Strawberry Chocolate Custard Cream Puffs

Instructions

Start by making your cream puff shells.

1. For the cream puff pastry, add the water and butter to a medium saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil. Reduce to medium flame and add, the flour and salt, all at once.
3. Cook this mixture stirring constantly for an additional 3 minutes. Allow this mixture to cool slightly for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, before adding the eggs, one at a time.
4. Beat well after adding each egg until batter is smooth
5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
6. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls (or pipe small mounds using a piping bag ) onto a lightly greased or parchment lined baking sheet.
7. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375 degrees and bake for an additional 20 -25 minutes until the puffs are golden brown and do not collapse when removed from the oven. They should be firm and sound hollow when tapped.
8. These should be uniformly golden all over with no pale sides. Cool completely.

For the custard cream filling

1. Scald the milk in the microwave or on top of the stove to just below boiling point. Microwave works best as there is no chance of burning the milk.
2. Meanwhile, in a saucepan combine the flour, sugar and salt.
3. Over medium flame slowly add the scalded milk whisking constantly.
4. Continue to cook over medium heat until mixture begins to slightly thicken. At this point remove from heat and pour about a half cup of this mixture onto a slightly beaten extra large egg whisking constantly.
5. Pour the egg mixture immediately back into the pot, continuing to constantly stir. Cook for an additional minute or two until pudding consistency and remove from the flame.
6. Stir in the butter and vanilla extract.
7. Cover and allow to completely cool in the refrigerator for 3 or more hours. When it has completely cooled, if a skin has formed on your custard, remove it before continuing.
8. Whip the whipping cream, icing sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract to firm peaks.
9. Gently fold custard into the whipped cream. Do not over mix.
10. Fill the cream puff shells by splitting them in half and spooning the filling into both the bottom half. Place a layer of sliced fresh strawberries on top of the custard cream.

For the chocolate glaze:

1. Heat ¼ cup whipping cream to scalding in a heavy bottomed small saucepan on low heat.
2. Stir in 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips over very low heat. Stir until smooth
3. Spread glaze over the tops of the cream puffs. (or pipe onto tops in overlapping circular pattern using a number 4 tip or even a Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off.)