Chocolate Chip Cream Puffs

Preheat oven to 375°.

To prepare pastry, combine first 4 ingredients in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Add flour all at once to pan; stir with a wooden spoon until mixture pulls away from sides of pan and leaves a film on the bottom of the pan (about 3 minutes).

Spoon batter into a medium bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium speed 2 minutes or until mixture cools to about 120°. Add 2 eggs and egg white, 1 at a time, beating at medium-low speed after each addition until completely combined (mixture will look lumpy but will get smooth quickly). Beat at medium speed 1 minute or until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips by hand. Drop dough by 2 tablespoons 2 inches apart onto doubled baking sheets lined with parchment paper (you will have a total of 20 puffs). Bake at 375° for 20 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 325°. Rotate pans, and bake at 325° for an additional 25 minutes or until browned and crisp. Remove pans from oven. Pierce the top of each puff with the tip of a knife. Cool completely on pans.

To prepare filling, combine 1 cup half-and-half, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, and dash of salt in a saucepan; bring to a simmer. Combine remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar, cornstarch, 1 egg, and egg yolks in a medium bowl; stir with a whisk until smooth. Gradually drizzle milk mixture into egg mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Return mixture to pan. Cook over medium heat until mixture thickens (about 4 minutes), stirring constantly.

Remove pan from heat; add butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla, stirring until smooth. Spoon cream into a medium bowl; place bowl in a large ice water–filled bowl. Cool cream completely, stirring occasionally (about 20 minutes). Gently fold in whipped topping.

To prepare glaze, combine corn syrup, 1 tablespoon half-and-half, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 15 seconds. Add powdered sugar and cocoa; stir with a whisk until smooth (glaze will be thick and sticky).

To assemble cream puffs, cut the tops off the cooled puffs. Fill each puff with about 1 tablespoon pastry cream. Dip the tops in glaze, and place on top of filled cream puff.