3 c. strawberries
2 tsp. vanilla sugar
Scant 2 c. whipping cream

CREAM PUFF PASTE:

1/2 c. butter
Pinch of salt
Grated peel of 1/2 lemon
1 c. water
1 c. all purpose flour, sifted
4 eggs, beaten

Wash and hull strawberries. Reserve 6 large strawberries and mix the rest with the vanilla sugar in a medium bowl. Set aside until sugar has dissolved. Whip cream until stiff; refrigerate. Lightly grease and flour a baking sheet. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

To make cream puff paste, melt butter with salt, lemon peel and water in a heavy medium saucepan over low heat. When butter has melted, increase heat and bring quickly to a boil. Remove from heat and add flour all at once. Beat with a wooden spoon until mixture comes away from sides of pan. Return to heat 1 minute, stirring constantly. Cool slightly then add eggs a little at a time, beating well between each addition.

Put paste into a pastry bag fitted with a large fluted nozzle. Pipe 11 rosettes in a 10 inch ring on prepared baking sheet. After baking, they will be joined together forming a circle. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden and crisp. While still warm, split ring horizontally; let cool.

To make filling, puree strawberry mixture in a blender. Put 3 tablespoons whipped cream into a clean pastry bag fitted with a large fluted nozzle. Combine remaining cream with strawberry puree. Fill cooled cream puff ring with strawberry puree. Fill cooled cream puff ring with strawberry mixture.

Decorate with piped rosettes of whipped cream and reserved whole strawberries cut in quarters.

Serves 10.