Thursday, March 28, 2024
It's Sweet to Share!

The Best Cream Puff Custard for the Most Irresistible Giant Cream Puffs

It's Sweet to Share!

Anyone else a huge fan of the TV show Lost? We used to watch this show like it was our religion, hypothesize about wild philosophical theories, and make food for every viewing. Food inspired by the characters, like a cream puff filled with custard that we nicknamed Claires for Claire Littleton.

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Get it? Eclair’s for Claire? These are the best of both cream puffs and eclairs. It’s a custard plus cream filled cream puff with chocolate topping! And the easiest cream puff custard that you can make for pies, cakes, and anything else you want!

It’s been over a decade since the dreadful series finale of what had the potential to be the greatest show ever, and a waste of 6 years of my life. Anyone, and I mean anyone could have written a better ending to that show. 

So much wasted promise. 

But these, adorable not so little eclairs, will not disappoint. These cream puff custards will fill your tummy with everything you hoped and dreamed for in the finale. 

Not filled Cream Puffs

Oh, what’s that? You wondering about some of my theories? I’ll tell you what — I put a lot of time and thought into them. 

Lost posited a lot of questions about the reality of time and space as we know it. 

At the Orchid station, Dr. Edgar Halliwax attempts to send a mouse 100 milliseconds ahead to the future in four dimensional space. 

Is that possible?

Allow me to geek out for a second. 

Of course, we know that Einstein first proved the mathematical possibilities of multi-dimensional space in E=MC2, or the theory of general relativity. This theory is proven daily, as we go about life in our three dimensional universe; length, width, and height. We can easily grasp a feasible understanding of a fourth dimension; time. We live with this understanding everyday. 

Dr. Hugh Ross PH.D. provides an easy to grasp analysis of dimensionality in his book: “Beyond the Cosmos.” To paraphrase he explains that each dimension can be visualized as a line; one straight line depicts length; add a line at an intersecting 90° angle and one can visualize width; create a third 90° angle and height or volume enters the picture, and so on. 

This is how we conceptualize dimensions. By adding an infinite number of 90° angles, we can envision an infinite number of dimensions.

With an infinite number of dimensions, there is likewise an infinite number of realities and time lines. 

I speculate this is the focus of Dharma. To find the intersecting 90° angle where all the lines unite and access every single dimension! Could this be the equation Ms. Hawking was determining at the end of Season 4 Episode 13 with her fancy chalk pendulum?

Dharma Symbol

Is it possible to intersect or alter a converging timeline? 

  • The many appearances of Christian Shepherd on the island.
  • Horace repeatedly chops down a tree to build his cabin though he’s been dead for 12 years.
  • The intervention of Ms. Hawking in Desmond’s life after he turns the fail safe key
  • Charlie visits Hurley at the mental institution.
  • Faraday disturbing Desmond in the hatch in a timeline prior to the plane crash

According to Faraday’s theory either the island is moving through time, or the island inhabitants are. Contrary to claiming that events can be changed, I believe he’s lying. 

Dr. Edgar Halliwax tells the Work Man in the opening scene, “There are rules.” 

Remember when Martin Keamy kills Alex, Ben’s daughter, Ben exclaimed: “You changed the rules!” 

Though we never get an explanation of the parameters of the rules of the island, I am convinced that Ben, Alpert, Locke, and other choice island inhabitants have witnessed multiple timelines of the future, as they have remained on the island when others have moved it. 

Hence, the rules refer to what must not be changed. Not that the future can’t be changed, but that it should not be changed.

Here are a few of my other theories:

  • The 70 hour deadline Ms. Hawking gives to Ben refers to the time in which the island will be at present day, and a bearing of either Ben’s 325 or Faraday’s 305.
  • The whisperings on the island are dimensional breakthroughs in which all the previous habitants can be briefly heard.
  • As we know the Dharma Initiative has been disbanded, the helicopter food drops were actually the same food being repeatedly dropped as a consequence of the time loop achieved by inputting the numbers into the computer at the Swan station.
  • Halliwax refers to an “incident” in the Swan station where the computer was used for a purpose other than it’s designation; knowing that time is irrelevant I surmise that this could possibly have had something to do with when Walt attempted to contact his father Michael via Island chat.
  • Miles is Halliwax’s son (credit to Gabriel for this one).
  • The Dharma Initiative, funded by the Hanso Foundation, was involved in life extension experiments; this combined with the theory that one can gain eternal life by killing one’s parents before they were born, is my theory on how Alpert seemingly does not age (info gleaned from Bad Twin and alternate reality game).

I know. Where my fellow Losties at?

Just don’t bother trying to convince me the finale was anything but pure and utter trash.

Irresistible Giant Cream Puffs
with Custard Filling

These delicious cream puffs are filled with a versatile cream puff filling is perfect for coconut cream pie, banana cream pie, Boston cream pie, and fruit tarts! 

The Best Cream Puff Custard for the Most Irresistible Giant Cream Puffs

Giant Cream Puffs with Custard Filling

Catherine Olson
Standard choux pastry with easy cream puff custard filling
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine French
Servings 8 giant puffs

Equipment

  • Blender

Ingredients
  

Pastry

  • 1 cup water
  • ½ cup butter
  • 1 cup flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 4 whole whisked eggs

Cream Puff Custard

  • 12 oz. evaporated milk
  • 2 ½ cups whole milk
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup cornstarch
  • ¾ powdered sugar
  • 3 oz. vanilla pudding mix do not use instant
  • pinch of salt
  • ½ cup whipping cream
  • 1 tablespoon sugar

Assembly

  • ½ cup whipping cream
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 cups chocolate chips melted

Instructions
 

Pastry

  • Bring water to boil over medium-high heat
  • Add butter and allow to melt
  • Add flour and salt together
  • Briskly stir with wooden spoon until dough sticks together and forms a ball
  • Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly
  • Add egg mixture, one at a time, and beat dough until incorporated
  • Drop spoonfuls of dough onto cookie sheet dampened with cold water
  • Bake at Fahrenheit 400° for 15 minutes
  • Lower temp to Fahrenheit 300° and continue to cook for 30 minutes
  • Remove from oven and slice through the middle
  • Separate tops and bottoms to allow steam to escape
  • Makes 8 giant cream puffs, or 16-20 smaller puffs

Cream Puff Custard

  • Bring milk to boil over medium-high heat
  • While heating, take half of milk mixture and pour into blender
  • Add eggs, cornstarch, sugar, vanilla pudding mix, and salt
  • Blend on high until incorporated to temper eggs
  • When milk is nearly boiling add blender mixture and stir constantly
  • The mixture will become thick and glossy
  • Continue to stir until the entire mixture is of the same thick consistency
  • Remove from heat and continue to stir for a minute or so
  • Allow to cool slightly and put in fridge to chill
  • Once chilled, beat with electric mixer until smooth
  • Whip cream with sugar until stiff peaks form
  • Mix into custard until smooth and creamy

Assembly

  • Whip second ½ cup of whipping cream with sugar
  • Fill bottom half of puff with heaping spoonful’s of custard
  • Top with a layer of whipped cream
  • Replace puff top
  • Coat liberally with a generous layer of melted chocolate

Notes

This versatile cream puff filling is perfect for coconut cream pie, banana cream pie, Boston cream pie, and fruit tarts! 
Keyword Cream Puffs & Cream Puff Custard

What’s the Difference Between Cream Puffs, Eclairs and Profiteroles? 

All 3 use the same pastry.

The difference is in the shape, size, and filling. Typically puffs and profiteroles are solely filled with cream – no custard and no chocolate.

This recipe is kind of a mash up of cream puffs and eclairs that was passed down from my Grandma.

It’s got a super delish cream puff custard and whipped cream and chocolate.

The Best Cream Puff Custard for the Most Irresistible Giant Cream Puffs

Are Cream Puffs or Eclairs Better?

Impossible question! Both are amazing desserts!

Have You Ever Met a Grandma that Wasn’t an Amazing Cook? Is it that grandma’s know how to cook, or just that we love our grandma’s so their food tastes so good?

I haven’t! I grew up in Oregon and my Grandma lived in Idaho. Whenever we would visit her, no matter what time of night we arrived she always answered the door with a pie!

And usually a Banana Cream Pie with this cream puff custard in it!

Like this recipe? Check out more recipes with pastry and theories about Lost!

IF YOU LOVE THIS RECIPE. TRY THESE OUT!

It's Sweet to Share!

5 COMMENTS

  1. HONESTLY CATHERINE… i was reading, and was like, This is more intense and way more over my head then the show.. then i read on. SO thank you thank you thank you! great great info! i really appreciate it! haha

    AND, NO FAIR you are feeding this to other friends besides me! i wish we lived close! you are AMAZING!
    those LOOK AMAZING! I mean SERIOUSLY AMAZING!!!

    By the way. YOU ARE A GENIUS! and way to go on that psychic being the doc’s son! NICE CALL GABE!!!

  2. So I was completely confused as to why you were writing about Miles being the docs son and then realized you hadn't GOTTEN there yet! Locke is totally the weird snake monster thing and Jacob and him are both island Gods I think…Alex's theories are MUCH better than mine on this. We will have plenty to talk about!

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