CREAM PUFFS

1. Preheat oven to 425°. Lightly grease baking sheets or line with parchment paper. Measure flour and set aside.
2. Bring butter, sugar, salt, and 3/4 cup water to a boil in a 3-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
3. Immediately remove from heat, and quickly stir in flour mixture all at once.
4. Return to heat and stir with a wooden spoon for 1 to 2 minutes, or until dough is smooth and forms a ball. This is where you get an arm workout.
5. Transfer dough to the bowl of an electric mixer, and let cool 5 minutes.
6. Add 3 eggs, 1 at a time, beating until mixture is smooth and glossy.
7. Spoon dough into a pastry bag fitted with a 5/8-inch plain tip, or a #12 size round tip if you use Wilton.
8. Pipe dough onto prepared pans into 1 1/2-inch rounds (1 1/2 inches high). Smooth out peaks and round tops with a wet finger.
9. Whisk together remaining 1 egg and 1 tsp. water. Brush tops of dough with egg mixture.
10. Bake at 425° for 5 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 375°, and bake 30 minutes or until puffy and golden brown. Turn oven off; let shells stand in closed oven 10 minutes.
11. Remove from baking sheets to wire racks, and cool completely.
12. Cut in half with a bread knife, or other serrated knife to separate for filling.

STRAWBERRY WHIPPED CREAM FILLING

1. Run about 1 cup of freeze dried strawberries through a food processor, and sift out the desired amount of powder.
2. Whisk the sugar and cornstarch together in a saucepan and whisk in 1/2 cup of the heavy cream.
3. Bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking constantly until the mixture begins to thicken, about 3-5 minutes. Set it aside to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
4. Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the remaining 2 1/2 cups of the heavy cream until it is begins to get very frothy.
5. Add in the cooled sugar/cream mixture. And beat the whipped cream until soft peaks form, adding in the strawberry powder during the last 15-20 seconds.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE TOPPING

1. In a double boiler – or a saucepan with a heat safe bowl – fill the saucepan with 1″ of water and bring to a simmer.
2. Place the bowl over the saucepan with simmering water and add in chocolate chips and cubed butter to the heat safe bowl. With a rubber spatula, fold and gently stir the chocolate and butter together until the chocolate begins to melt.
3. Just prior to the last few chocolate chips melt, remove the bowl containing the chocolate and butter from the heat and continue to stir until the chocolate chips have melted entirely.
4. Stir in the heavy cream slowly until just incorporated. Drizzle and serve immediately.

TO ASSEMBLE

1. With cooled and halved cream puffs, use a piping bag and fill it with the strawberry whipped cream. Pipe a good amount into every bottom half of the cream puffs. Top with other half of the cream puff.
2. With a spoon, drizzle the chocolate ganache on top and allow to set. You can also dust with additional strawberry powder if desired.