Miniature Chocolate Cream Puffs
Makes 24 to 36 one-bite puffs.
You'll need a cookie cutter (or a jelly glass) about 2 inches in diameter. The recipe is based on one from Pepperidge Farm.
½ (17¼-oz.) pkg. (1 sheet) frozen puff pastry sheets
3 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. sugar, divided
1¼ c. heavy cream (or an 8-oz. tub frozen whipped topping, thawed)
1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
Thaw the pastry sheet at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface and dust the top of it and a rolling pin with flour. Roll the pastry out to make a 9-by 14-inch rectangle.
Use a cookie cutter or jelly glass about 2 inches in diameter to cut the pastry into rounds. The number you get will depend on the exact size of the cutter. (Rerolling scraps to get additional rounds isn't recommended, because the mashed-together pieces of layered dough will rise irregularly.)
Put the rounds on an ungreased baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Prick all the rounds several times each with the tines of a fork and brush each with water. Use the 2 teaspoons of sugar to sprinkle a pinch on each round. Bake 10 to 11 minutes, until the rounds are puffed and medium-golden colored on top. Set them aside to cool.
Meanwhile, if using cream: In the small bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the cream, cocoa powder and the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar, slowly at first to dissolve the cocoa powder and sugar, and then at high speed until the mixture forms stiff peaks.
If using whipped topping: Omit the 3 tablespoons of sugar, put the cocoa powder in a medium bowl and stir the topping into it, a little at a time at first to keep the powder from flying around.
Split each cooled puff in half. Using a pastry bag or a pair of spoons, pipe or drop a generous mound of chocolate whipped cream into the bottom of each puff and reposition the tops.
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