Easy Cream Puff

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a medium saucepan, bring the water, butter, and salt to a boil over medium heat. Make sure the butter is fully melted before moving on to the next step.

3. Remove the saucepan from the heat and quickly stir in the flour with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a ball of dough that pulls away from the sides of the pan.

4. Allow the dough to cool for about 5 minutes.

5. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with a wooden spoon after each addition until the dough is smooth. It may initially seem lumpy, but keep stirring until it becomes a smooth, shiny dough.

6. Transfer the dough into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip.

7. Pipe small mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving some space between each puff.

8. Bake the cream puffs in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until they are puffed and golden brown. Avoid opening the oven door during the first 20 minutes of baking to prevent the cream puffs from collapsing.

9. Once baked, remove the cream puffs from the oven and use a sharp knife to make a small slit in the side of each puff to release the steam. This step helps to keep the puffs crisp.

10. Allow the cream puffs to cool completely on a wire rack before filling.

11. In a mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract together until stiff peaks form.

12. Cut the cream puffs in half horizontally and fill each puff with a generous spoonful of the whipped cream mixture.

13. If desired, dust the filled cream puffs with powdered sugar for a final touch.