Egg Nog Cream Puffs

Instructions

1. PATE A CHOUX (CREAM PUFF SHELL): Heat water, butter, sugar in a saucepan until rolling boil.
2. Remove from heat, add flour stir; return to heat & keep stirring with a spoon until it balls up & is less steamy.
3. Put mixture in stand mixer. With a paddle attachment mix on medium speed until it's cooled down slightly; can touch it without it being too hot.
4. Add eggs in one at a time, waiting until the egg has mixed in completely before adding another one.
5. Once all eggs are incorporated, place mixture in a pastry bag & pipe 2" cream puffs on a pan lined with parchment paper.
6. Bake at 425*F for 10-13 minutes or until the cream puffs have some nice height.
7. Lower the oven to 350*F & bake an extra 10 min or until GOLDEN BROWN (It took me like 20 or more extra minutes instead of 10.)
8. **You want to make sure the cream puffs are done on the inside & won't fall when you remove them from the oven. They must be browned well. You can pull one out of the oven if you think it is done & see if it keeps it's shape. You should be able to tell when you pick it up if it feels light & airy or dense & heavy. If it is still heavy, leave them in the oven. It is basically impossible to fix these if you pull them from the oven too early.
9. EGG NOG PASTRY CREAM: In a saucepan dissolve the sugar in the milk & bring just to a boil.
10. With a whip, beat the egg yolks & whole eggs in a bowl.
11. Sift the cornstarch & sugar into the eggs. Beat with the whip until perfectly smooth.
12. Temper the egg mixture by slowly beating in the hot milk in a thin stream.
13. Return the mixture to the heat & bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
14. When the mixture comes to a boil & thickens, remove from the heat.
15. Stir in the butter, vanilla, rum, & spices. Mix until the butter is melted & completely blended in.
16. Pour out into a clean, sanitized container; dust lightly with sugar & cover with plastic wrap pressed onto the pastry cream to prevent a crust from forming.
17. Cool quickly. (Can use an ice water bath with a stainless steel bowl, or refrigerate immediately in a shallow pan).
18. Once cooled remove from fridge, add half an 8oz tub of cool whip (or make your own whipped cream) & fold into pastry cream.
19. ASSEMBLY: With a star tip & pastry bag, poke the bottom of the cream puff & fill with egg nog cream. Dust tops of cream puffs with powdered sugar & serve. KEEP COLD. You may also like to freeze the puffs & pull them 5 min or so before serving.