Pastry:
Combine sugar and flour and cut in the margarine. Knead lightly. Form into a ball, wrap in plastic. Chill 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 210 degrees C (425 degrees F).

Cream Puffs:
Bring water and margarine to a boil. Add the flour and stir until the mixture forms a ball. Remove from the heat. Cool slightly, then beat in the eggs, one at a time. The mixture should be thick enough to just keep its shape. Make 12-14 balls with a spoon and place far apart on a greased baking sheet.

Roll out the pastry. Cut out round cookies with a 6-7 cm (2 1/2") cutter. Drape them over the balls and press carefully against the baking sheet. Bake until golden, 25-30 minutes.

Filling:
Whisk together eggs, sugar, cornstarch, and milk in a saucepan. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly, but do not allow to boil. Cool, stirring occasionally. Stir in rum. Whip the cream and fold into the rum cream.

Puncture the balls. Fill a pastry tube with rum cream and pipe the mixture into the balls. Top each with a cherry.

The Norwegian Kitchen is available for purchase, through the Vesterheim Bookstore.

Vesterheim Museumsbutikk
523 West Water Street
Decorah, IA 52101
www.vesterheim.org