Instructions

1. Preheat your oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 15 minutes to ensure that it reaches full temperature. This is important because the puff dough must expand in a hurry. As a puff grows in size, the jagged but decorative outside shell sets and the center dries out so that it is virtually hollow. This latter occurrence, too, ensures that the puff does not deflate.

2. Bake your puffs for 15 minutes. Without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature to 350 F. Bake the puffs for another 30 minutes, or until they are a rich golden brown. Do not open the oven door while the puffs bake because the influx of cooler air could cause them to deflate.

3. Remove the crispy cream puffs from the oven and set them on a wire rack. Let them cool for a few minutes before poking two or three tiny holes in each puff to allow steam to escape. Use the sharp end of a skewer so the holes are small. Let the puffs cool completely.

4. Slice off the tops of the puffs with a sharp knife to prepare to fill them with your favorite whipped or vanilla cream. If you find a splotch of damp dough, simply remove it. After baking cream puffs in this manner, though, such findings should be rare indeed.