Choux paste
Almond pastry cream
Semi-sweet chocolate glaze
1 pt. strawberries, hulled & washed

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

CHOUX PASTE:

1/2 c. butter
1 c. water
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. flour
4 eggs

In a 2 quart saucepan over medium heat, heat butter, water and salt until boiling. Remove from heat. Add flour all at once. With wooden spoon, stir until mixture forms a ball and leaves side of pan.

Add eggs to flour mixture, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until smooth. Cool mixture slightly. On greased, lightly floured cookie sheet trace a circle (7 inch plate). Drop heaping tablespoons of paste just inside the circle to form a ring.

Bake 40 minutes or until golden and firm. Turn off heat; leave in oven 15 minutes; cool. With a sharp knife carefully cut puff ring in half horizontally. Remove soft interior, leaving a hollow ring. Prepare almond pastry cream. Fill the bottom of the shell with cream. Replace the top shell. Refrigerate.

Prepare semi-sweet chocolate glaze. Spread on top of ring. Refrigerate. To serve, fill the center of cream puff pastry ring with fresh strawberries. Serve immediately.

ALMOND PASTRY CREAM:

In a 2 quart saucepan, combine:

3/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
Stir in 1 1/2 c. milk

Over medium heat, cook, stirring, until mixture thickens and boils, about 10 minutes. Boil 1 minute longer.

In a small bowl with fork, beat 6 egg yolks slightly, beat a small amount of the milk mixture into the yolks. Slowly pour egg mixture back into milk mixture, stirring. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring until mixture thickens and coats spoon (about 8 minutes, do not boil). Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon almond extract. Chill about 2 hours.

In a small bowl with mixer at medium speed, beat 1 1/2 cups heavy or whipping cream until stiff peaks form. With rubber spatula, gently fold cream into custard. Then place in hollow puff ring.

SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE GLAZE:

In a 1 quart saucepan over low heat, melt 2 squares of semi-sweet chocolate, 2 tablespoons butter, stirring constantly. Stir in 1 cup confectioners' sugar and a tablespoon milk until smooth.