Cream Puff Ring

Cream Puff Ring
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Choux pastry

1/2 cup butter
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs

Filling

3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
6 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups whipping cream.

Semisweet Chocolate Glaze

2 squares semisweet chocolate
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup icing sugar
3 tablespoons milk

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the water, butter and salt to a boil. Remove from heat and add the flour all at once. With a wooden spoon, stir vigorously until mixture forms a ball and leaves the side of the pan. Add eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition. (I do this in my Kitchenaid mixer). Dough should be smooth and shiny. Using a large spoon and rubber spatula drop batter onto cookie sheet in a circle or drop by spoonfuls in to 12 large mounds 3" apart. Bake for 40 minutes at 400°F for the ring, or for about 40 minutes at 375°F for the individual mounds.

Remove from oven and cut a slit into the sides of each puff and return to the oven for 10 minutes. Turn off oven and allow the puffs to dry in oven for 10 minutes. When puffs are cool, slice top off each and fill with cream filling.

Decorate with chocolate.

If making the large ring, cut top off ring, and remove extra soft interior, leaving a hollow shell. Fill with cream filling and replace top. Decorate with Chocolate Glaze and add fresh strawberries to the centre of the ring.

Prepare Filling.

Combine sugar, flour and salt and stir in milk. over medium heat, cook stirring until mixture thickens and boils, about 10 minutes. Boil for 1 minute longer. In a small bowl beat the 6 egg yolks and beat a small amount of the milk mixture into the yolks; slowly pour egg mixture back
into milk mixture, stirring. Cook over medium heat, stirring until mixture thickens and coats the back of a metal spoon. (Do not Boil). Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Cover surface with plastic wrap and chill well. In a small bowl with mixer at medium speed, beat 1 1/2 cups whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Fold gently into the custard.

To prepare chocolate Glaze

melt 2 squares of chocolate and butter stirring constantly. Add 1 cup of icing sugar and milk and stir until smooth.