Preparation

• Start preparing the choux pastry (cream puffs) by pouring the water and the butter into a saucepan. Place over high heat and wait for the butter to melt completely and for the mixture to come to a boil.
  As soon as it starts boiling, lower the heat and add the flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until you obtain a compact dough that will pull away from the sides forming a ball.
  Turn off the heat and let it cool for a couple of minutes.
  Then add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition until fully incorporated. You should obtain a smooth, homogeneous and fairly firm mixture.
  Note: it is essential to add one egg at a time, because you might need a slightly different amount than indicated. If the dough becomes too runny due to excess egg, unfortunately it cannot be recovered.
  Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a plain round tip or, for a more elegant effect, use a large star tip.

• Line a shallow baking tray with parchment paper and start piping the cream puffs, forming small mounds of dough on the surface with the piping bag.
  Remember to leave a distance of 1¼–1½ in between each cream puff so they don’t stick together during baking and can puff up properly.
  Bake in a conventional oven preheated to 356°F for about 30 minutes. The cream puffs are ready when they are well risen and golden on the surface.

  

• Let them cool completely before filling with a sweet or savory cream of your choice.