Favorite Cream Puffs

From the kitchen of Linda Kilbride, Maricopa, Arizona

Cream Puffs:
1/2 cup butter-flavored Crisco
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsifted all-purpose flour
4 eggs

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a cookie sheet.

Combine butter-flavor Crisco, water and salt in heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil to melt shortening. Stir in flour all at once. Cook and continue to stir until mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Drop by rounded tablespoonsful onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake for at least 30 minutes or until golden brown and dry. Cool.

Cut off tops, pull out any soft dough and fill with Luscious Filling (or use whipped cream or prepared pudding). Replace tops and sprinkle lightly with confectioners' sugar. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Makes 10 to 12 puffs.

Luscious Filling:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons cornstarch
Dash of salt
3 1/4 cups milk (or use part half-and-half)
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter-flavor Crisco
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In a heavy 2-quart saucepan combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir in milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until smooth and thickened. Stir a little hot mixture into eggs, then stir eggs into remaining pudding mixture. Cook 2 to 3 minutes longer. Stir in butter-flavor Crisco and vanilla extract. Cool.

Makes enough filling for 1 recipe (12) standard cream puffs.