Almond Puff Cake

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup blanched slivered almonds
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine butter, salt, water and almonds. Bring to a boil and stir in flour, all at once, stirring vigorously until mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat and beat in eggs, one at a time, until thoroughly incorporated. Transfer dough to a pastry bag with a number 8 star tip, and pipe pastry in an 8-inch ring, one inch wide, on a baking sheet.
3. Bake 50 minutes, or until puffed, set and golden brown. Cool on wire rack.
4. While pastry is baking, combine cream, sugar, vanilla and almond extracts in a medium bowl and chill in refrigerator for 1 hour. Remove from refrigerator and whip with electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
5. Split cooled ring in half lengthwise using a sharp knife. Scoop out any soft dough. Place bottom half on serving plate, and fill with whipped cream. Place other half of ring on top, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and serve.

Apple Strudel

• 1 pound sweet apples -- peeled, cored and thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup golden raisins
• 1/4 cup dried currants
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 2 slices brown bread, crumbled
• 1/2 (16 ounce) package phyllo dough
• 1/4 cup butter, melted

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. In a bowl, combine apples, raisins, currants, cinnamon, sugar and bread crumbs. Stir well.
3. Spread several sheets of pastry generously with melted butter and lay them on atop the other on a baking sheet. Spread the fruit mixture evenly over the top sheet, then roll the sheets up to form a log shape. Brush with melted butter again.
4. Bake in preheated oven 30 minutes, until pastry is golden brown and fruit is tender.

Cream Puff Dessert

• PUFF
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 eggs
•  
• FILLING
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 3 1/2 cups cold milk
• 2 (3.9 ounce) packages instant chocolate pudding mix
•  
• TOPPING
• 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1/4 cup milk chocolate flavored topping
• 1/4 cup caramel topping
• 1/3 cup slivered almonds

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat melt butter in water until bubbly. Dump in flour all at once and stir vigorously until mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until smooth and glossy. Spread in prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven 30 to 35 minutes, until puffy and golden. Let cool completely on wire rack.
4. While puff is cooling, beat together cream cheese, milk and pudding mix. Spread over cooled puff. Chill 20 minutes.
5. Spread whipped topping over chilled filling and drizzle with chocolate and caramel sauces. Sprinkle with almonds. Freeze 1 hour before serving.

Esclairs

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 eggs
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups milk
• 1 (5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 (1 ounce) square unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons boiling water

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. For icing: In small saucepan, melt chocolate and 1 tablespoon butter over low heat. Remove from heat and, with electric mixer, beat in confectioners' sugar and 2 tablespoons hot water. Beat until smooth. Drizzle over filled eclairs.
3. For shells: In medium saucepan bring 1 cup water to a boil, stir in 1/2 cup butter and salt. Stir until melted. Add flour all at once and stir vigorously until mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat and beat in eggs, one at a time, until smooth. Drop by tablespoons onto baking sheet.
4. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce heat to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and bake until golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool completely.
5. For filling: In large bowl, beat 1/2 cup of milk, a little at a time, into softened cream cheese, until creamy. Beat in remaining 1 1/2 cups milk and pudding mix. Stir until thick, 1 to 2 minutes. Cut tops off cooled pastry shells and fill. Replace tops.

Vanilla Cream-Filled Esclairs

• 1 1/3 cups water
• 1 (11 ounce) package piecrust mix
• 3 eggs
• 2 egg whites
• Vanilla Pastry Cream:
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Chocolate Glaze:
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened

DIRECTIONS:

1. BRING 1 1/3 cups water to a boil in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in piecrust mix, beating vigorously with a wooden spoon 1 minute or until mixture leaves sides of pan.
2. PLACE dough in bowl of a heavy-duty electric stand mixer; cool 5 minutes. Beat dough at medium speed with electric mixer using paddle attachment. Add eggs and egg whites, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. (If desired, eggs and egg whites may be added 1 at a time and beaten vigorously with a wooden spoon instead of using the mixer.)
3. SPOON dough into a large heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag. (A large pastry bag may also be used.) Cut a 1 1/2-inch opening across one corner of the bag. Pipe 4-inch-long strips of dough 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.
4. BAKE at 425 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until puffed and golden. (Do not under-bake.) Remove from oven, and cut a small slit in side of each eclair to allow steam to escape. Cool on wire racks.
5. SPLIT eclairs using a serrated knife, starting at 1 long side without cutting through opposite side. Pull out and discard soft dough inside.
6. CAREFULLY spoon about 1/4 cup Vanilla Pastry Cream into each eclair; close top of each eclair over filling. Top evenly with Chocolate Glaze. Chill eclairs for 2 hours or freeze up to 1 month.
7. VANILLA PASTRY CREAM: Whisk together first 4 ingredients in a 3-quart saucepan. Gradually whisk in half-and-half. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat; whisk in butter and vanilla. Cover and chill 4 hours.
8. CHOCOLATE GLAZE: Microwave morsels and whipping cream at HIGH in a 2-cup glass measuring cup 30 seconds to 1 minute or until melted, stirring twice. Whisk in butter until blended, and spoon immediately over eclairs.