Banana Cream Pastries from Great American Home Baking

Makes 6 servings

1 sheet frozen puff pastry thawed according to package directions.

Filling
1 cup sugar
1 cup orange juice
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup confectionary sugar
3 medium bananas, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon frozen, thawed orange juice concentrate
2 cups whipped cream

Garnish with orange slices or sprigs of fresh mint.

1. to prepare filling, in a medium saucepan, bring sugar, orange juice, water, cornstarch, and salt to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook stirring constantly, kuntil just thickened, 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Stir beaten egg yolks into juice mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, 4 minutes. Stir in melted butter. Remove from heat. Place a piece of plastic wrap on surface of filling. Chill for 1 hour.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with waxed paper. Spray underside of a second large baking sheet with vegetable cooking spray.

4. On a floured surface, roll pastry into a 15-inch square. Cut into eighteen 4 x 3 inch rectangles. Place pastry on prepared baking sheet. Place second baking sheet, coated-side down, on top.

5. Bak pastries until golden, 15- 20 minutes. Remove top sheet. Transfer baking sheet with pastries to a wire rack to cool.

6. Dust pastries with confectionary sugar. Arrange bananas on top of 6 pastries. Brush with juice concentrate.

7. Remove plastic wrap. Fold whipped cream into filling. Using a pastry bag fitted with a small star tip, pipe filling over bananas.

98. Repeat with a second pastry layer, bananas, concentrate, and filling. Top with a third layer. Pipe rosetts on top. Garnish with orange slices and mint sprigs.

Baking tip: Sandwiching pastries between baking sheets prevents them from puffing.

Almond Cream Puffs

Makes 12 Puffs

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup water
1/8 tsp. salt
1 cup flour
4 medium eggs

Filling
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract

Garnish
confectionary sugar
fresh raspberries
sprigs of mint

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a baking sheet.

2. In a medium, heavy saucepan, heat butter, water, and salt over medium-high heat until mixture boils and butter has melted.

3. Reduce heat to low. Add flour all at once to butter mixture stirring vigorously until mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat. Cool for 10 minutes.

4. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

5. Using a pastry bag fitted with a round tip, pipe 12 puffs, 3 inches apart, on prepared baking sheet; smooth tops.

6. Bake puffs until golden brown, 40 minutes.

7. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Bake puffs for 10 minutes more. Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack to cool. Pierce 1 side of each puff.

8. To prepare filling, beat cream at medium spped until soft peaks form. Beat n sugar and almond extract until stiff peaks form.

9. But puffs in half horizontally. Pull out any uncooked dough. Spoon filling into puff bottoms; replace tops.

10. Dust puffs with sugar. Garnish with berries and mint.

Cream Puffs and Eclairs from Marina

1 cup water
1/2 cup margarine
1 cup flour
1 pinch salt
4 large eggs

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a small saucepan bring water and margarine to a boil. Lower the temperature and add flour and salt, stirring fast with a wooden spoon until mixture forms a ball and leaves the sides of the pan.

Remove from the stove and keep on stirring for a few more seconds.

Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring well after each addition.

Lightly grease a baking sheet.

Fit the pastry bag with a large round tube.

Fill the pastry bag with the batter and squeeze it onto the baking sheet.

Keep in mind that the batter doubles in size while baking.

Bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350 and bake 20 minutes longer.

Let the shells cool before filling.