Cream Puffs with Caramel Swirl Ice Cream

Name: Cream Puffs with Caramel Swirl Ice Cream
Yield: 6 servings of 2 filled cream puffs
Ingredients: 1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour; 2 tsp (10 mL) sugar; 1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) salt; 1 cup (250 mL) water; 1 1/2 tbsp (22 mL) unsalted butter; 3 large egg whites; 1 large egg yolk; 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) light vanilla ice cream, softened (see Cook's Tip); 3 tbsp (45 mL) sliced almonds, toasted; 1/2 cup (125 mL) caramel sauce, divided; 1/2 tsp (2 mL) Coarse Sea & Himalayan Salt

Prep 25 min

Cook 55 min

Ready in 80 min

A light sprinkling of salt enhances the creamy sweetness of the ice cream in this sweet and salty indulgence.

Ingredients

1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour
2 tsp (10 mL) sugar
1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) salt
1 cup (250 mL) water
1 1/2 tbsp (22 mL) unsalted butter
3 large egg whites
1 large egg yolk

1 1/2 cups (375 mL) light vanilla ice cream, softened (see Cook's Tip)
3 tbsp (45 mL) sliced almonds, toasted
1/2 cup (125 mL) caramel sauce, divided
1/2 tsp (2 mL) Coarse Sea & Himalayan Salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Combine flour, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl. Bring water and butter to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat; add dry ingredients. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir vigorously about 1 minute or until mixture leaves sides of saucepan and forms into a ball. Place dough in Deluxe Stand Mixer and cool 5 minutes. Turn the mixer to low speed, beat in egg whites and yolk, one at a time, beating after each addition until smooth (see Cook's Tip).
Using Medium Scoop, drop 12 level scoops of dough onto a cookie sheet. Bake 35-40 minutes or until deep golden brown; remove cookie sheet from oven to a cooling rack. Carefully pierce the side of each puff with a knife. Turn oven off. Return puffs to oven 5 minutes, leaving oven door partially open. Remove puffs from oven to cooling rack; cool completely.
Meanwhile, combine ice cream and almonds in a small mixing bowl; stir in 1/4 cup (50 mL) of the caramel sauce. Freeze 25-30 minutes or until firm.
Slice puffs in half horizontally. Using Ice Cream Scoop, scoop ice cream onto puff bottoms; top with puff tops. Drizzle with remaining caramel sauce; sprinkle with salt. Let stand 3-4 minutes before serving.

Yield:

6 servings of 2 filled cream puffs

Nutrients per serving:

Calories 280, Calories from Fat 80, Total Fat 9 g, Saturated Fat 5 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 50 mg, Sodium 320 mg, Carbohydrate 43 g, Fiber 1 g, Sugars 11 , Protein 7 g

Cook's Tips:

Look for light ice cream that has 100 calories (or less), 3 g total fat and 2 g saturated fat per 1/2-cup (125-mL) serving.

Caramel ice cream topping can be substituted for the caramel sauce, if desired.

When beating in egg whites and yolk, the cream puff mixture will at first appear lumpy, but will get smoother as you continue beating.

Piercing the puffs after baking releases the steam and helps ensure crisp cream puffs. Leaving the puffs in the oven for 5 minutes after baking will prevent them from deflating.