A historical dessert from The White House cook book; a comprehensive cyclopedia of information for the home .. (1913).
Preserved exactly as written in the original source
Put into a large-sized saucepan half a cup of butter and one cup of hot water; set it on the fire
when the mixture begins to boil, turn in a pint of sifted flour at once, beat and work it well with a vegetable masher until it is very smooth
Remove from the fire, and when cool enough add five eggs that have been well beaten, first the yolks and then the whites, also half a teaspoonful of soda and a teaspoonful of salt
Drop on buttered tins in large spoonfuls about two inches apart
Bake in a quick oven about fifteen minutes
When done and quite cold, open them on the side with a knife or scissors and put in as much of the custard as possible
Modern guidance to help you succeed with this vintage recipe
This is a variation of pâte à choux (cream puff dough), where the combination of hot water and butter gelatinizes the starch in flour, creating a thick paste that traps steam during baking. The high moisture content and five eggs generate powerful steam, which expands the dough and creates the signature hollow interior perfect for custard filling. Adding eggs to the cooled paste prevents premature coagulation, ensuring the proteins set during baking to support the structure.
The unfilled puffs can be baked up to 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. For best texture, crisp them in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes before filling. The custard filling should be made ahead and refrigerated for at least 2 hours until completely cold. Fill the puffs no more than 2-3 hours before serving to prevent sogginess.
Unfilled baked puffs can be frozen for up to 1 month in a freezer-safe container or bag. Thaw at room temperature and refresh in a 300°F oven for 5-8 minutes. Once filled with custard, these cakes should be refrigerated and consumed within 4 hours for food safety and optimal texture. The filled cakes do not store well as the custard will make the pastry soggy.
AI-generated tips from Chef Cecil's culinary database
The unfilled puffs can be baked up to 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. For best texture, crisp them in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes before filling. The custard filling should be made ahead and refrigerated for at least 2 hours until completely cold. Fill the puffs no more than 2-3 hours before serving to prevent sogginess.
Unfilled baked puffs can be frozen for up to 1 month in a freezer-safe container or bag. Thaw at room temperature and refresh in a 300°F oven for 5-8 minutes. Once filled with custard, these cakes should be refrigerated and consumed within 4 hours for food safety and optimal texture. The filled cakes do not store well as the custard will make the pastry soggy.
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