Crab Puffs

1. Stage

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large saucepan, bring the water, butter and salt to a boil. Add the flour all at once and stir until a smooth ball forms. Remove it from the heat and let it stand for five minutes.

2. Stage

Add the eggs to the dough, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until the mixture is smooth and shiny. Editor's Tip: Be sure to let the warm dough ingredients cool slightly before you beat in the raw eggs so that they don't scramble. Then, keep mixing them in until the thick paste loosens to a workable consistency—but not so long that the dough becomes tough. A good way to tell if your choux is done is by running a spatula through the mix and lifting it up. Your choux is good to go if the mix drops off in a nice V shape.

3. Stage

Drop the dough by teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto the greased baking sheets. Bake them until they're golden brown, 18 to 22 minutes. Editor's Tip: Although you can make smaller or larger puffs, teaspoonfuls of dough are more likely to have a central, cup-like air pocket. Baking the dough in batches in the lower third of the oven will help it rise more evenly from the bottom heat. If you make fewer, larger puffs, leave another inch of space around each so that they have room to expand. Bake them a few minutes longer, until they're crisp on the outside.

4. Stage

Remove the puffs from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack. Immediately split the puffs open, remove the tops and set them aside. Discard the soft dough from the inside and let the puffs cool.

5. Stage

In a large bowl, combine the crabmeat, cream cheese, mayonnaise, onion and prepared horseradish. Just before serving, spoon 1 teaspoonful of filling into each puff and sprinkle with parsley, if desired. Replace the tops.