Cream Puffs with Lemon Filling

Cream Puffs with Lemon Filling

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup boiling water
1 cup sifted all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1 1/2 cups lemon curd, recipe follows (make a day ahead)
confectioner's sugar, for dusting

Melt butter in 1 cup boiling water. Add flour and salt all at once; stir vigorously. Cook and stir till mixture forms a ball that doesn't separate. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each till smooth.

Drop by heaping tablespoons 3 inches apart onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees until golden brown and puffy, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven; split. Cool on rack. (At this point, you may pull out the loose soft eggy dough inside the puffs (optional).

Beat heavy cream with the confectioner's sugar until stiff. Fold into the lemon curd in three additions, folding gently until blended. Fill the cream puffs with the lemon filling, replace tops and refrigerate until ready to serve. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar just before serving.

Makes 12

Lemon Curd:
1 cup plus 2 tbsps. sugar
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 1/2 tablespoons grated lemon peel
3 large eggs

Combine first 4 ingredients in a large microwave-safe bowl. Place bowl in microwave and cook on high until butter melts, whisking every minute, about 3 minutes.

Remove from microwave; cool 5 minutes. Beat eggs in a small bowl to blend. Whisk half of butter mixture into eggs.

Return mixture to same large bowl. Place in microwave and cook on high until curd is slightly thickened but not boiling, whisking every minute, about 4 minutes (curd will continue to thicken when chilled).

Transfer curd to medium bowl. Press plastic wrap onto surface. Chill until firm, at least 1 day and up to a week.

Makes about 2 1/4 cups (This makes more than you will need for the above recipe. Use the remaining curd on toast or muffins.)