Filling
5 egg yolks
1/3 C sugar
2 large lemons, juice and zest
2 T butter
1 C heavy whipping cream
½ C powdered sugar
1 t vanilla extract
Puffs
1 C water
¼ C sugar
1/3 C butter
Pinch salt
1 C flour
4 eggs
Optional Topping
½ C white chocolate melted
1/2C toasted slivered almonds
For the filling, combine the egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan, stir to combine well, add the butter and place over a medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly until the mixture starts to thicken and coats the back of a spoon. Do not let the mixture boil or it will curdle. Allow to cool to room temperature, cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. When ready to fill the puffs place the cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a medium bowl and whip on high until the cream is whipped firm, not stiff. Fold the lemon curd into the cream.
To make the puffs, heat the oven to 400. Place the water, sugar, butter, and pinch of salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the flour all at once and stir until the mixture turns into a large ball, remove from the heat. Either by hand or in a food processor or mixer add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each egg until the mixture is glossy.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Scoop or pipe the dough into the parchment paper into 1.5-2 inch balls. Place puffs into preheated hot oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cut each puff with the tip of the knife to help the air escape, this helps the puff to crisp while it bakes. Return to the oven, drop to 350 and bake the puffs an additional 10-15 minutes until a deep golden brown. Let the puffs cool completely.
When ready to serve, split each puff and fill with a scoop of lemon filling. If you want you can decorate the puff’s with a drizzle of melted white chocolate and a sprinkling of toasted slivered almonds. Serve within several hours of filling. If you fill them too far ahead they will get
