Bella's Almond Puff

My friend Bella served this dessert to a bunch of us after a lunch we had today. It is absolutely delicious! Different and easy to make as well. We had it as a dessert but it would be an excellent morning coffee break coffee cake, or a good addition to a brunch table.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 10-12

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup butter, softened
• 1  cup flour
• 2  tablespoons water
• 1⁄2 cup butter
• 1  cup water
• 1  teaspoon  almond extract
• 1  cup flour
• 3  eggs
•  chopped  nuts, any kind you like,bella uses pecans but the day i had this,she didn't put any nuts on it (she was out of them and had a flat tire on her car)

• Confectioners sugar glaze

• 1 1⁄2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2  tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 -1 1⁄2 teaspoon  almond extract or 1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 -2  tablespoon warm water

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°.
2. Cut 1/2 cup
3. butter into 1 cup
4. flour.
5. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons
6. water over mixture; mix with fork;
7. round into a ball; divide in half.
8. On an ungreased baking sheet, pat each half into a strip, 12x3 inches.
9. Strips should be about 3 inches apart.
10. In a medium sauce pan, heat 1/2 cup
11. butter and 1 cup water to to a rolling boil.
12. Remove from heat and quickly stir in almond extract and 1 cup
13. flour.
14. Stir vigorously over low heat until mixture forms a ball, about 1 minute.
15. Remove from heat.
16. Beat in eggs, all at one time, until smooth.
17. Divide in half; spread each half evenly over strips, covering completely.
18. Bake about 60 minutes or until topping is crisp and brown.
19. Cool.
20. Drizzle with confectioners' sugar glaze and sprinkle generously with nuts.
21. For the glaze: Mix confectioners' sugar, butter, almond or vanilla extract and warm water until smooth.