Stabilized Whipped Cream in Cream Puffs

I love old fashion desserts, don't you?  And one of my favorites is cream puffs.  They look like snow covered mountains.  So easy to make and so impressive!  We make ours a little different from some.  I don't fill them with custard.  Instead I make up a batch of stabilized whipped cream and put a good size dollop in each puff.  Not only do they taste wonderful but they "seem" lighter......we aren't talking low calorie lighter here, just an" impression" of lighter.  But in my world that counts as diet food.

Cream Puff Shells

1/2 cup butter

1 cup water

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup flour

4 eggs.

Heat oven to 425 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Heat water and butter over medium heat in large saucepan to a rolling boil.  Stir in flour and salt until mixture forms a ball.  Transfer to large mixing bowl and beat in each egg individually with electric mixer.  Drop by large spoonfuls onto pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes (smaller ones bake faster than large ones).  Allow to cool completely.

Stabilized Whipped Cream

1 tsp unflavored gelatin

4 tsp cold water

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Dissolve gelatin in cold water.  Heat for about 20 seconds in the microwave, checking every 10 seconds or so, until gelatin is not gritty.  Allow to cool but not to set up.  Put whipping cream and sugar in mixing bowl and beat until thick.  Add gelatin mixture and whip until very thick and able to hold shape.  

Split cream puffs like you would cut a bagel.  Plop a nice dollop of stabilized whipped cream on bottom half and put top half back on.  Sift some powdered sugar over the top and serve.  Cream puffs with last several days in the fridge but don't sift sugar on top until right before you eat them.  And eat them you will!  You won't be able to stop yourself!  And remember you can eat tons because they are diet food.......

Diana