Strawberry Cream Puffs with Strawberry Sauce



3/4 cup water

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon sugar

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3 large eggs

1 cup chilled whipping cream

7 teaspoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon kirsch (clear cherry brandy)

1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 large strawberries, hulled

2 pints strawberries, hulled

3 tablespoons sugar

Powdered Sugar



For cream puffs: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine water, butter, salt and sugar in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring to melt butter. Add flour; using wooden spoon, stir vigorously until mixture clumps together, forming ball. Stir 1 minute longer. Remove from heat. Transfer dough to medium bowl. Using electric mixer, add eggs 1 at time, beating until dough is smooth after each addition (dough will be slightly soft and shiny).



Using 1 rounded tablespoon dough for each cream puff, spoon dough onto prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart and forming mounds about 3/4 inch to 1 inch high and 1 1/4 inches in diameter. Using moist fingertips, gently press tops of cream puffs flatten any peaks. Bake until golden brown, about 37 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to rack; let cream puffs cool. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.<WBR>)



For filling: Beat cream, 1 teaspoon sugar, kirsch and vanilla in medium bowl until stiff peaks form. Combine 6 strawberries and 2 tablespoons sugar in small bowl. Using fork, crush berries. Fold crush strawberry mixture into cream.



Cut top third off each cream puff. Place cream puff bottoms, cut side up, on plates. Spoon filling into bottoms, mounding slightly. Ladle sauce over, allowing sauce to spill onto plates. Top with cream puff tops. Dust with powdered sugar.



For sauce: Puree 1 basket strawberries in processor. Transfer to bowl. Stir in sugar. Quarter remaining strawberries; add to sauce.



Yield: 18 servings

Nut Filled Butterhorns



3 pkgs. (1/4 oz. ea.) active dry yeast

1/4 c. warm milk (110 to 115°)

2 T. sugar

2 c. butter, softened

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1 c. whipping cream

1 c. (8 oz.) sour cream

7 egg yolks

1/8 t. salt

8 to 8 1/2 c. all purpose flour



Filling:



6 egg whites

1 t. cream of tartar

1 c. sugar, divided

3 c. ground walnuts or pecans

2 t. ground cinnamon (opt.)

Icing:

3 c. confectioners' sugar

2 T. butter, softened

5 to 7 T. milk

1/2 t. almond or vanilla extract (opt.)



In a lg. mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Add sugar; let stand

for 5

min. Add butter, cream cheese, cream, sour cream, egg yolks, salt and 2

1/2 c.

flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft

dough.

Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 to

8 min.

Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and

refrigerate overnight.

In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add 2

T. sugar,

beating until glossy stiff peaks form. Fold in nuts. Divide chilled

dough into

fourths. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a 12"

circle; spread a

fourth of the filling over each circle. Add cinnamon if desired to

remaining sugar;

sprinkle over filling. Cut each into 12 wedges. Roll up wedges from the

wide end;

place pointed side down 3" apart on greased baking sheets. Curve ends to

form a crescent

shape. Bake at 350° for 17 to 20 min. or until golden brown. Remove from

pans to

wire racks to cool. combine icing ingredients; drizzle over rolls.



Makes 4 dozen.