In honour of our nation's 155th birthday, we've turned the traditional cream puff red and white.

This indulgent pastry filled with fresh strawberries and a generous dollop of cream is not only the perfect treat to serve at your Canada Day fete, but it also tastes so good you'll be craving it all summer long.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup 2% milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 4 tbsp granulated sugar, divided
• 1 cup all-purpose  flour
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup 35% whipping cream
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp icing sugar, divided 
• 1/4 cup creme fraîche or sour cream 
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups sliced hulled fresh strawberries

DIRECTIONS 

1 Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

2 In a medium saucepan, gently heat the milk, water, butter and 2 tablespoons of the sugar to just under a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and add the flour all at once. Mix vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture is blended. Return the pan to the heat and stir until the dough forms a shiny ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 1 minute. Let cool for 5 minutes.

3 Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with the wooden spoon after each addition. The dough will separate but will come back together as you stir.

4 Using a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip, pipe 15 walnut-sized mounds about 2" apart onto the baking sheet. Bake until puffed and golden, 25 to 27 minutes. Transfer the cream puffs to wire racks to cool completely.

5 In a clean bowl, whip the cream with an electric hand mixer until soft peaks form. Whip in 2 tablespoons of the icing sugar, the crème fraîche and vanilla until blended; chill until ready to use.

6 Stir the strawberries with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar in a bowl. Let macerate for 15 minutes, until the fruit is slightly softened and a little bit juicy.

7 Pour 2 tablespoons of the strawberry juice into a small bowl and mix with the 1/2 cup of icing sugar to make pink icing.

8 Slice the cream puffs in half horizontally with a serrated knife. Fill the bottoms with sliced strawberries and top with some of the whipped cream. Replace the tops and drizzle with the pink strawberry icing to serve.

Makes 15 cream puffs