Puff Pastries

1 cup flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup butter (or 1/4 cup shortening and 1/4 cup butter) 1 cup boiling water 4 eggs

Sift flour with salt. Combine butter and boiling water in saucepan; cook on low heat until butter is melted. Add flour all at once and stir vigorously until mixture forms a ball and leaves sides of pan. Cook about 2 minutes until mixture is very dry. Remove from heat. Add unbeaten eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until a thick dough forms. For cream puffs, drop by tablespoonfuls onto brown paper lined baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake at 425 degrees about 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake for 15 more minutes. Bake about 30-40 minutes total, or until beads of moisture no longer appear on surface. Do not open oven door during early part of baking. Remove to wire racks to cool. When cool, cut slit in side of each puff; remove doughy centers, if necessary. Makes about 23 large cream puff shells. (Lion House Cookbook) For cream puffs: fill with pudding and pie filling mix or sweetened whipped cream or any other favorite cream filling.