Cream Puffs

Ingredients

• 1 cup water 
• 0.5 cup butter 
• 1 cup flour all-purpose
• 4  eggs 
• 1 package vanilla pudding instant (4-serving size)
• 1 cup milk 
• 1 teaspoon rum extract 
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg 
• 0.3 teaspoon ground ginger 
• 2 cups whipping cream 
• 1 serving powdered sugar 
• 2 cups whipping cream 
• 0.3 cup powdered sugar 
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract 
• 5  drop natural food coloring green red

Equipment

• bowl
• baking sheet
• sauce pan
• oven
• hand mixer

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400°F. In 2 1/2-quart saucepan, heat water and butter to rolling boil. Stir in flour; reduce heat to low. Stir vigorously over low heat about 1 minute or until mixture forms a ball; remove from heat. Beat in eggs, all at once; continue beating until smooth.
2. On ungreased cookie sheet, drop dough by slightly less than 1/4 cupfuls about 3 inches apart.
3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until puffed and golden. Cool away from draft, about 30 minutes.
4. Make one of the fillings (directions below).
5. Cut off top third of each puff and pull out any strands of soft dough. Fill puffs with filling; replace tops. Cover; refrigerate until serving. Store covered in refrigerator.
6. Eggnog Fluff Filling: In large bowl, beat pudding mix, milk, rum extract, nutmeg and ginger with electric mixer on low speed until well blended.
7. Add whipping cream; beat on high speed 1 to 2 minutes or until soft peaks form. Fill puffs.
8. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate up to 3 hours. Just before serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar or brush tops with light corn syrup and sprinkle with colored sugar or nonpareils.
9. Peppermint Whipped Cream Filling: In large bowl, beat ingredients with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fill puffs.
10. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours.