Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet. In a medium saucepan combine water, butter, and salt. Bring to boiling. Add flour all at once, stirring vigorously. Cook and stir until mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat. Cool for 10 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well with a wooden spoon after each addition.

Drop 12 heaping tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden and firm. Transfer cream puffs to a wire rack and let cool.

Cut tops from puffs; remove soft dough from inside. Fill with whipped cream, pudding, or ice cream. Replace tops. If desired, sift powdered sugar over tops.

Makes 12 cream puffs

5. clairs: Prepare as above, except spoon dough into a decorating bag fitted with a large plain round tip (about 1/2-inch opening). Pipe 12 strips of dough, 3 inches apart, onto a greased baking sheet, making each strip 4 inches long, 1 inch wide, and 3/4 inch high. Bake, cool, and split, as in steps 2 and 3. Fill eclairs with whipped cream or pudding. Frost with 1 recipe Chocolate Glaze (page 163). Makes 12 eclairs. Per eclair: 361 cal., 27 g total fat (16 g sat. fat), 142 mg chol., 27 g carbo., 171 mg sodium, 1 g fiber, 5 g pro.Daily Values: 19% vit. A, 3% calcium, 7% ironExchanges: 11/2 Other Carbo., 5 Fat

Mini Puffs: Prepare as above, except drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake, one sheet at a time, in a 400 degree F oven for 25 minutes (keep remaining dough covered while first batch bakes). Cool, split, and fill as in steps 2 and 3. Makes about 30 mini puffs. Per mini puff: 94 cal., 8 g total fat (5 g sat. fat), 53 mg chol., 4 g carbo., 46 mg sodium, 0 g fiber, 2 g pro. Daily Values: 6% vit. A, 13% calcium, 2% iron Exchanges: 2 Fat