Tina's Cream Puff Dessert

Before I got married, at my bridal shower, my mother gave me a recipe book, and she asked guests to write their favorite recipes on a card so I could have a decent cooking resource. In it, she included a recipe in my grandmother's own handwriting for a sweet and sour coleslaw (my bubba had already passed at this point, so to have something -- anything -- in her handwriting made me incredibly happy). She also included a recipe for a cream puff dessert. These are not individual cream puffs, but cookie sheet worth of fluffy pastry topped with creamy goodness. Of all of Mom's delicious recipes, this was the one she decided to include, and I'm so glad she did (It's even complete with a little heart where the "o" should be in "Mom").

I took this dessert to a lovely afternoon get-together, and per many requests, here is the recipe, copied word-for-word as Mom wrote it.

Cream Puff Dessert

Dough: 1 cup water, 1/2 cup margarine, 1 cup flour, 1/4 tsp. salt, 4 eggs

Heat water & marg to boiling & marg is melted. All at once add flour & salt. Stir till mixture forms a ball & leaves sides of pan. Cool slightly, add 1 egg at a time, mix well, add another egg & repeat till all 4 are mixed. Using a knife spread evenly in a 10x15 pan. Bake 400 [degrees] for 25-30 mins. Remove from oven, pierce bubbles & press down leaving crust around edges. Cool completely.

Filling: 2 pkgs (3 oz size) instant vanilla pudding, 2 1/2 cups cold milk, 8 oz cream cheese

Mix pudding w/milk, add cream cheese, beat 2-3 mins with mixer. Pour over baked shell. Top w/8 oz Cool Whip. Chill.

Drizzle Smuckers MagicShell chocolate sauce over top, it forms a hard chocolate topping. Be creative with it. Keep dessert chilled till ready to serve.

I've made this dessert a few times (I've eaten it COUNTLESS times), and it's always a hit. Be sure the Cool Whip isn't frozen and the dessert has time to chill before serving. Also, I learned today there is a difference between cook and serve Jell-O pudding and instant Jell-O pudding. Trust me, you want to use the instant pudding.

Enjoy!