Chocolate Cream Puff Trees
Chocolate Cream Puff Trees are made with chocolate cream puffs, french pastry filling, chocolate sauce and peppermint bits. Look at these darling trees! Don’t you want one all for yourself? I know I do. These bite size cream puffs are easy to make and will really make your holiday table special. Expect to get raves when you bring these out of the kitchen. Each one is the perfect size for 2 – 3 people unless of course they are a chocolate addict and in that case make them their own. I had such fun making these. This all came about when I got an email from Eggland’s Best asking me to create a holiday dessert for them using Eggland’s Best eggs. I was compensated for this post but the opinions are expressly my own. First I had to figure out how to make chocolate cream puffs and after a couple of tries I had a recipe that I could share with you. The puffs are not really all that sweet but once you add the filling, chocolate sauce and peppermint candies, it is the perfect amount of sweetness. One of the tricks when you make cream puffs is that after you add the flour to the water mixture, let the batter cool for at least 20 minutes before adding the eggs in one at a time. You will get better rise out of them if you do. When you are using Eggland’s Best (EB) eggs in your holiday desserts, know that EB eggs are packed fresher and stay fresher than ordinary eggs. By using EB eggs in your holiday desserts, you’re also sneaking in those necessary vitamins too. Compared to ordinary eggs, EB eggs contain more than double the omega-3s and four times the vitamin D. EB eggs also have ten times the vitamin E, which help you to fight off those sick days during the busy winter months! Also, if you’re trying to get a head start on your new year’s resolutions, you’ll be happy to know that EB eggs are only 60 calories while ordinary eggs have 70, and they contain 25% less saturated fat. When you make the puffs, I use a pastry bag and you want to make them small, about 1 1/2 inches across. You can see in the pictures above that when you pipe them onto the cookie sheets they have a point on top, we don’t want that. Get a small bowl of water and wet your fingertips and gently push the tips down like the second picture. After baking the puffs I like to leave them in the oven with the door cracked open to let them further dry out in the center. Store them in something air tight if you are making them ahead. See the tip in picture 3 above, that is what I use to get the cream filling in the puffs. I poke a hole with the tip thru the bottom of the puff and add the filling. It is Wilton’s number 230. Chocolate Cream Puff Trees Author: Mary Ellen Prep time: 45 mins Cook time: 45 mins Total time: 1 hour 30 mins Serves: 3 trees or about 45 puffs Chocolate Cream Puffs ½ cup butter 1 cup water 3 tablespoons cocoa 2 tablespoons sugar 1 cup + 1 tablespoon flour ½ teaspoon salt 4 Eggland's Best Eggs Cream Puff Filling 1 3.4 oz. box French Vanilla Instant Pudding or Vanilla 1 ½ cups milk ½ carton (4 oz.) frozen whipped topping Chocolate Sauce 1 cup chocolate chips 1/3 cup heavy cream 1/3 cup corn syrup 4 – 5 small candy canes - crushed Chocolate Cream Puffs ½ cup butter 1 cup water 3 tablespoons cocoa 2 tablespoons sugar 1 cup + 1 tablespoon flour ½ teaspoon salt 4 Eggland's Best Eggs Cream Puff Filling 1 3.4 oz. box French Vanilla Instant Pudding or Vanilla 1 ½ cups milk ½ carton (4 oz.) frozen whipped topping Chocolate Sauce 1 cup chocolate chips 1/3 cup heavy cream 1/3 cup corn syrup 4 – 5 small candy canes - crushed Cream Puffs: Add a stick of butter and the water to a small saucepan. Melt the butter in the water over medium heat. Add the salt, cocoa and sugar. When blended add the flour all at once. Stir the mixture until it pulls away from the sides of the pan and forms a ball. Cover loosely and remove from heat. Let set for 15 minutes to cool down slightly. Add the eggs one a time and combine it with the flour mixture. When the first egg is thoroughly combined add the second egg, repeat 2 more times. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 12 x 15 pan with parchment paper. Put the batter into a pastry bag with a large tip. Pipe the mixture onto the cookie sheets in a circle about 1 ¼ inches across. You can also use a spoon to make the puffs. Have ready a small bowl of water. Dip your fingers into the water and press down lightly any tops that have a point on them. Bake for 18 – 20 minutes. Puffs will double in size during baking. Turn oven off, leave door open for 5 minutes and leave the cream puffs in the oven to dry out further. To make the French Vanilla Filling Empty the pudding mix into a bowl. Use a whisk and add the milk. When thoroughly combined set aside for 5 minutes. Fold in the whipped topping. Place filling in a pastry bag and fill the cream puffs. To make the Chocolate Sauce Add all of the ingredients to a micro-wave safe container. Heat for 1 minute. Stir until combined. If all the chocolate isn't melted micro-wave again in 30 second intervals. Fill the cream puffs with the filling. I used Wilton's tip #230 to fill them. To make the trees, place 5 of the cream puffs in a circle on a small plate. Stack 4 more on top of them, off setting them slightly. Stack 3 on top of those and then 1 for the top. Lightly drizzle the chocolate sauce over the puffs and sprinkle with the crushed candy canes. Put in refrigerator until ready to serve. Yield 3 trees – or about 45 small puffs Cream Puffs: Add a stick of butter and the water to a small saucepan. Melt the butter in the water over medium heat. Add the salt, cocoa and sugar. When blended add the flour all at once. Stir the mixture until it pulls away from the sides of the pan and forms a ball. Cover loosely and remove from heat. Let set for 15 minutes to cool down slightly. Add the eggs one a time and combine it with the flour mixture. When the first egg is thoroughly combined add the second egg, repeat 2 more times. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 12 x 15 pan with parchment paper. Put the batter into a pastry bag with a large tip. Pipe the mixture onto the cookie sheets in a circle about 1 ¼ inches across. You can also use a spoon to make the puffs. Have ready a small bowl of water. Dip your fingers into the water and press down lightly any tops that have a point on them. Bake for 18 – 20 minutes. Puffs will double in size during baking. Turn oven off, leave door open for 5 minutes and leave the cream puffs in the oven to dry out further. To make the French Vanilla Filling Empty the pudding mix into a bowl. Use a whisk and add the milk. When thoroughly combined set aside for 5 minutes. Fold in the whipped topping. Place filling in a pastry bag and fill the cream puffs. To make the Chocolate Sauce Add all of the ingredients to a micro-wave safe container. Heat for 1 minute. Stir until combined. If all the chocolate isn't melted micro-wave again in 30 second intervals. Fill the cream puffs with the filling. I used Wilton's tip #230 to fill them. To make the trees, place 5 of the cream puffs in a circle on a small plate. Stack 4 more on top of them, off setting them slightly. Stack 3 on top of those and then 1 for the top. Lightly drizzle the chocolate sauce over the puffs and sprinkle with the crushed candy canes. Put in refrigerator until ready to serve. Yield 3 trees – or about 45 small puffs Visit Eggland’s Best Eggland’s Best Website: Eggland’s Best Facebook page (@EgglandsBestEggs): Eggland’s Best Twitter page (@EgglandsBest): Eggland’s Best Pinterest page (@EgglandsBest): Eggland’s Best Instagram page (@EgglandsBest): Eggland’s Best Website: Eggland’s Best Facebook page (@EgglandsBestEggs): Eggland’s Best Twitter page (@EgglandsBest): Eggland’s Best Pinterest page (@EgglandsBest): Eggland’s Best Instagram page (@EgglandsBest):