Chocolate Cream Puff Ring

This is heaven for all chocoholics! My sister-in-law gave me the recipe in high school over 30 years ago, since then it has become a signature dish. Several of my children's friends request it for their birthdays. Don't let the length of the prep. discourage you. The ring is fast and easy to make. I have made it in heart, candy cane and tree shapes for different occasions. You can also make bite size or full size individual puffs (or anything in between), though the ring is the quickest to make.

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• Cream Puff

• 1⁄2 cup water
• 4  tablespoons butter
• 1⁄2 teaspoon sugar
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 cup flour
• 2  large eggs

• Filling

• 1⁄2 cup butter (no substitutes)
• 1⁄2 cup sugar (extra fine if you have it)
• 2  ounces  unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
• 1  teaspoon real vanilla extract
• 3  large eggs (use fresh eggs and only large)

• Glaze

• 2  ounces  semisweet chocolate or 2  ounces bittersweet chocolate
• 2  tablespoons butter

Directions

1. CREAM PUFF. Preheat oven to 400°F Lightly butter a cookie sheet, set aside.
2. In medium saucepan over high heat, heat water with butter, sugar, and salt until mixture boils. Turn heat to low and add flour. Stir vigorously over low heat until dough leaves the side of the pan in a smooth compact ball about 1 minute.
3. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition; continue beating until dough is smooth and satiny (it should have a sheen to it). You can also transfer the dough to your KA mixer and use your paddle to beat in each egg.
4. Drop heaping spoonfulls of dough in a large oval, making sure each dropful touches the one next to it (this is what will hold your ring together once baked).
5. Bake 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and firm. Pierce the ring with a skewer or narrow knife in about 4 or 5 places and let cook for a few more minutes (this allows steam to escape, which keeps the ring crisper).
6. Cool on a rack. Ring can be prepared 1 day ahead and wrapped when cool.
7. FILLING. Prepare while baking the ring or earlier in the day.
8. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in chocolate and vanilla.
9. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Continue to beat until sugar is thoroughly dissolved. Chill for a least one hour.
10. GLAZE. In top of a double boiler, melt butter and chocolate together, stirring until smooth (you can use a microwave).
11. ASSEMBLY. Slice cream puff in half horizontally, gently move the top and set aside, fill the bottom of the ring, then replace the top of the ring. Drizzle glaze over the top of the ring. Chill until ready to serve.
12. Serves 6. Double the recipe for 12 servings.
13. For bite size puffs (great for buffets) use a teaspoon or small ice cream scoop, puffs should be about the size of a walnut or a little smaller. To fill- snip open tops and pipe in filling, Drizzle on Glaze.
14. I have made slightly larger puffs and served 3 on a plate, or divided dough into 6 puffs for a full size serving.