Strawberry Cream Filled Cream Puffs

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 425° Cover baking sheets with parchment paper.

Step 2

Add butter, salt, sugar and 1 cup of water to a medium saucepan. Turn the heat to medium-high. Let come to a boil and quickly add in the flour, stirring with a wooden spoon. Stir continuously until a film appears on the bottom of the pan.

Step 3

Remove from heat and pour into a bowl. Allow to cool for approx. 4 min. After cooled, stir in eggs, one at a time, incorporating each completely.

Step 4

Fill a pastry bag with the dough, attaching a 5/8 inch plain icing tip.

Step 5

Pipe 2-inch rounds onto the baking sheet. If there are peaks on the tops of the rounds, gently smooth them down with a moistened finger.

Step 6

Whisk the remaining egg together with the teaspoon of water to make the wash. Brush gently over the tops of the pastry rounds.

Step 7

Bake for 15 min. on the center rack of the oven then reduce oven to 375° and continue baking for approx. 20 min. or until golden brown. Turn oven off and place the handle of a wooden spoon between the oven nd the door to prop open. Keep the cream puff shells in the oven until the oven has cooled to just warm. Remove puffs to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 8

Beat cream cheese, vanilla and powdered sugar with an electric mixer until creamy and smooth.

Step 9

Slowly add in cream with the mixer on medium-high using the whisk attachment until stiff peaks form.,

Step 10

Gently fold in the diced strawberries.

Step 11

Melt chocolate chips in microwave in short increments (15 seconds) until melted. Allow to cool a bit if too hot and thin.

Step 12

Using a bread knife, cut off tops of each cream puff shell.

Step 13

Pipe each shell very full of cream, taking it out to the edges.

Step 14

Place tops back on and dust with powdered sugar.

Step 15

Drizzle melted chocolate over the tops.

Step 16

Allow chocolate to set up a bit before serving. Can place in the refrigerator to hurry up this process.

Step 17

Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator.