World Cuisines: Cream Puffs (USA)

These are super easy to make. The puffs remind me of Polish karpatka cake. You can make any filling you wish and desire. Today I had some whipping cream left over so I used it. I have never made them outside of the US so can't say how, for example, Polish flour works for these but would love to find out. Experiment and explore!

Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup water
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/4 tsp sugar
- pinch of salt
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 eggs

Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Pour the water into a medium size pot and place over a burner with medium heat.
- Add butter, sugar, and salt and bring to a boil. Stir until butter melts.
- Add all flour at once and briskly stir until dough becomes one clump for about 1-2 minutes. 
- Place in a bowl. 
- Add the first egg and blend it using mixer. Do the same with the second and third. The dough will become very stuck together, sticky and glossy. 
- Place parchment paper over a cookie sheet (or aluminum foil with a bit of canola oil spread with hand over it).
- Using a tablespoon, form 1 scoop of dough into a round ball. To get it onto the cookie sheet, use a regular teaspoon dipped in water to scrape it out of the tablespoon. It will help you to push it out  from the measuring spoon since it is very sticky. Repeat for all of the dough. Make sure the dough balls are about 2 inches apart on the sheet. 
- Bake for 37 minutes until golden brown.
- Set aside to cool down.
- It makes about 14 puffs.

Filling:
- 8 oz whipping cream
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 1/2 tsp bourbon
- 1 tsp vanilla 

- Pour the cream into a large bowl.
- Add remaining ingredients and whip. 
- Cut the puffs horizontally in half. 
- Add a generous tablespoon of filling onto one half and close the puff with the other half.

Optional:
You can make some liquid chocolate and decorate the puffs. It also tastes great!

Liquid chocolate:
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp real cocoa powder
- 2 Tbsp milk

- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat.
- Add sugar and cocoa powder. Keep stirring constantly until smooth about 1 minute.
- Take off from the burner and add milk whisking briskly until velvety. If too thick add a bit of milk and whisk in. 
- Pour over puffs.

Enjoy!