ALMOND CREAM PUFF RING 
1 c. water
1/2 c. butter
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. all purpose flour
4 eggs
Almond Cream filling (right)
Chocolate Glaze (right)

About 3 hours before serving. In 2 quart saucepan over medium heat, heat water, butter, and salt until butter melts and mixture boils. Remove saucepan from heat. With wooden spoon, vigorously stir in flour all at once until mixture forms a ball and leaves side of saucepan.

Add eggs to flour mixture, one at a time, beating after each addition, until mixture is smooth and satiny. Cool mixture slightly.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease and flour large cookie sheet. Using 7 inch plate as guide, trace a circle in flour on cookie sheet. Drop batter by heaping tablespoons into ten mounds inside circle, to form a ring.

Bake ring 40 minutes or until golden. Turn off oven; let ring remain in oven 15 minutes. Remove ring from oven; cool on wire rack. When ring is cool, with long serrated knife, slice horizontally in half. Prepare Almond-Cream filling; spoon into bottom of ring. Replace top of ring. Refrigerate.

Prepare Chocolate Glaze - Spoon glaze over top of ring. Makes 10 servings.

ALMOND CREAM FILLING:

Prepare one 3 1/2 to 3 3/4 oz. package vanilla flavor instant pudding and pie filling as label directs but use only 1 1/4 cups milk. Fold in 1 cup heavy or whipping cream, whipped, and 1 teaspoon almond extract.

CHOCOLATE GLAZE:

In double boiler over hot, not boiling, water (or in heavy 1 quart saucepan over low heat), heat 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate pieces with 1 tablespoon butter, 1 1/2 teaspoons milk, and 1 1/2 teaspoons light corn syrup until smooth, stirring occasionally.

 

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