Recipe: Helm's Bakery Cream Puffs (copycat recipe)

HELMS CREAM PUFF CLONE
Source: Mega Heart

As a young boy I used to love it when the "Helms Man" came by our house. My source of income for this friend was my paper route and later my paper stand, where my parents probably would be accused today of breaking child labor laws. Back then it was common and I still believe healthy. At the age of 9 and 10 I used to stand on a street corner in Glendale, California selling the Los Angeles Times and Herald Examiner newspapers. I'd call out the headlines, stand in front of traffic and sell car to car. I did well. Well enough to afford an occasional cream puff from the Helms Bakery truck. Hmmmm. Today, that cream puff has to be a treat at parties or family functions. But we can do it without salt and probably the lard used back then, and with lowered sodium. Just don't get into the habit, they have more calories than we need. This is not the official Helms recipe, but instead my best effort at duplicating the Helm creampuffs.

Makes 12

1 cup bottled no sodium water (trace)
1 stick unsalted butter (12.5 mg)
1 cup white unbleached flour (2.5 mg)
1 tablespoon cider vinegar (.15 mg)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (.189 mg)
4 eggs (252 mg)
Preheat your standard oven to 400 F or your convection oven to 375 F.

Crack eggs and place white and yolks into a bowl. Set aside.

Heat water and butter in a medium pan until they boil. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the flour, stirring steadily over a low to medium heat for about a minute or until the batter becomes one smooth ball. Remove this from the heat and beat in the vinegar, vanilla, and 4 eggs all at the same time. Beat until smooth.

On large cookie sheet, spoon or scoop about a 1/4 cup of dough setting them about three inches apart. (I use a 1/4 cup measuring cup. This forms a very nice round well shaped "puff.") You can also shape into elongated puffs.

Bake on middle rack for about 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Test with a toothpick. Cool on rack for about 10 to 20 minutes.

Cut in half, remove soft dough if any. Fill with whipped cream sweetened with sugar. (Note: If you add a level teaspoon or two to the cream you whip, it will firm up and stay firm while serving and waiting to be eaten.) May also use our chocolate mousse mix or a salt free homemade custard or pudding mix. Refrigerate and serve cold.

For total sodium per serving, add the sodium for the amount of filling you are using. For instance if using canned whip cream, add about 39 mg sodium per recipe. If using our chocolate mousse mix, add 35 mg.

* May add 1 teaspoon Featherweight Baking Powder, but shouldn't need it.