Soften the Blow Cream Puffs

27 Mar

My spring break is quickly wrapping up, and in just a few short days I’ll be knee-deep in textbooks once again, anxiously counting down the days until summer break. 

You really don’t know me all that well yet, so I’ll just go ahead and let you know that I’m a stress baker.  Some people turn to the drink.  Others cocoon themselves up in the fetal position and wait for the storm to pass.  Uhh, I sorta do that second one, but that’s not the point. 

Most often when I start to have a panic attack about reading deadlines, midterms, and the like, I hit the kitchen and do some hard-core, flour in your face, therapeutic mixing and stirring.  I’m just pointing this out in case you start to notice a back-up of new posts in about 3 weeks.  Give or take.  Oh spring break, sweet, sweet spring break.  Though you’ve been cloudy and rainy, and stressful in your own way, I will miss you. 

So let’s live it up ’til then!

Speaking of living it up, the very day I lose my freedom return to classes is the day my older bro turns the big 3-0.  I’m pretty sure he’s wanting to ride out his late 20s as long as possible. 

You can still wear Spongebob underpants when you’re 29.  From what I gather, you can even still proudly display your “Brewmaster” certificate and eat cheez-its for dinner when you’re 29.  You obviously aren’t allowed to do those things anymore when you’re 30.

I don’t make the rules.  Needless to say, it seems we could both use some live-it-up time this weekend.  If you have to bid farewell to your sanity spring breaky-break, or you have to turn 30, there’s probably no better way to soften the blow than with cream puffs.

I give you birthday cream puffs.

Cream Puffs

Adapted from Betty Crocker’s All-Time Favorites
Makes about 12 puffs

* 1 cup water
* 1/2 cup butter
* 2 cups all purpose flour
* 4 eggs
* 1 box vanilla pudding
* chocolate frosting of your choice
* Sprinkles

Directions:

Heat your water and butter in a saucepan until boiling. Reduce heat and quickly stir in the flour using a wooden spoon. For some reason, this making stirring easier! Continue stirring over low heat until the mixture forms a ball that pulls away from the side of the pan (This should take about 1 minute). Take your pan off the heat and beat eggs into your mixture all at once, and continue stirring until super smooth. Now, you can either drop the dough by 1/4 cupfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet, or you can do what I did and pipe them out onto your pan to make cute shapes. Just remember they puff! So they need at least an inch or two of room between them, depending on size.
Bake 35-40 min at 400 degrees.
While your puffs are baking, make vanilla pudding according to pie filling directions on the box. Whip up some of your favorite chocolate frosting (or make life a little easier and use the stuff from the can. I won’t tell!)
Just make sure you let the puffs cool completely on a wire rack before slicing them, laying the pudding in the middle, and topping with chocolate frosting. Sprinkles aren’t optional, so lay ’em on! 😀

Exhibit A: Fluffy, yummy, cloud-in-your-mouth pastry.  I just forgot about 9am neuro.
Exhibit B: Frosting is key.  30 is probably looking like the new 23

It’s still totally acceptable to eat these for breakfast when you’re 30, though.  That’s what I’ve heard.

Happy birthday, bro!

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