Pumpkin Cream Puffs to make your day wonderful!

I am dedicating today's Blog to my mom, Queen of the traditional whipped cream puff drizzled with chocolate! I can remember as a little girl these wonderful delicacies made by my mom.  My sister and I would watch her stir the glistening dough on the stove and turn these little dough mounds into a sinful delight filled with real whipped cream and covered in chocolate...makes my mouth water just thinking about them!  So now it's my turn as mom to create wonderful memories through sweets and treats for my family.  So I have made my own cream puff creation for Fall.  Cream puffs filled with a creamy and fluffy pumpkin filling and drizzled with a maple cream glaze.  It sounds complicated, but it's one of the simplest desserts you will ever make.

The Puff

1 cup water
1 stick butter (do not use margarine)
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
4 eggs

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  You will bake your puffs for 10 mins at this temperature, then turn heat down to 375 degrees for 15-20mins or until puffs are golden brown.  If you take them out of the oven and they quickly start to deflate, lower your oven temp to 325 and bake for an additional 5-10mins, keeping watch over them.  Weather such as high humidity will play with your puffs.  Once out of the oven transfer to a wire rack and cut open tops to let steam escape and cool before filling.

Using a pot over medium heat, pour in water and add butter.  Bring to a boil.

Now add your flour, salt and sugar.  Stir until dough starts to ball up.

Remove from heat and quickly stir in one egg at a time until dough becomes shiny.

Once all your eggs are stirred into the dough.  Use an ice cream scoop or large spoon and place 6 large dollops of dough on your cookie sheet.  I use non stick foil to cover my cookie sheet and prevent sticking without burning.

Pumpkin Cream Filling

1 3.4oz pkg pumpkin spice pudding (usually available in the Fall and around Holidays)

1 3/4 c milk

8 oz whipped topping

In bowl mix together pudding and milk blending thoroughly.  If you can't find pumpkin spice pudding mix, you can use butterscotch or vanilla with pumpkin pie spice added.  Let chill for about 15mins in the fridge.  Now fold in 8oz of whipped topping and place back in the fridge until ready to fill your puffs.

Maple Cream Glaze

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1 tbsp cream

1/2 tsp vanilla

1tbsp real maple syrup

Mix together all ingredients and let sit to the side until you put your puffs together.

Enjoy your little piece of pumpkin heaven!