INGREDIENTS:
2 cups of water
6 tbsp of butter or 3 1/2 tbsp of lard
2 3/4 cups of all purpose flour
1/2 tsp of baking soda
1/8 tsp of salt
6 eggs
For the filling:
2 cups of milk
2 tbsp of butter
3/4 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of potato starch
2 egg yolks
1 1/2 tsp of almond extract
For garnish:
cherries
icing sugar.
METHOD:
Preheat oven to 425ºF (220ºC).
Grease and flour a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.
Cream Puff Shells
Sift the flour, salt, and baking soda together and set aside.
In a heavy saucepan, heat the water, add the butter and lard, and when melted, remove pan from the stove and add the flour mixture all at once. Beat with a wooden spoon, then return the pan to medium-high heat, beating the mixture until it comes away from the sides of the pan. Remove the pan from the heat and add the eggs one at a time, beating with a wooden spoon or hand mixer to blend each in well before adding the next egg.
Fill a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain nozzle with some of the cream puff mixture. Squeeze out 1 1/4-inch puffs about 1/2 inch apart on cookie sheet. Bake the cream puffs in preheated 425ºF (220ºC) oven for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. When done, carefully slit the side of each cream puff with a knife to allow steam to escape and prevent the puffs from becoming soggy inside. Transfer the cream puffs to cooling racks.
