Eclair Ring

This recipe was given to me by my sister, Karen. It is one of those simple recipes people rave about and beg for.

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 1  cup water
• 1  cup flour
• 1⁄2 cup butter
• 4  eggs
• 1  pint heavy cream
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1⁄4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1⁄2 box instant vanilla pudding
• 1  jar  hot fudge (I use Smucker's)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bring water and butter to a boil in medium saucepan. Add flour stir with wooden spoon until it forms a sticky ball. Remove from heat beat in eggs one at a time with electric mixer, this will make your pastry. Spoon egg/flour mixture onto a pizza pan/cookie sheet in a ring (like an"O"). Bake at 400 for at least 45-50 minutes. Do not underbake. It should be a deep golden brown. Cool. Split top from bottom half. Beat heavy cream with vanilla and powdered sugar until soft peaks form.
2. Add 1/2 box instant vanilla pudding. Filling should be somewhat stiff. Spoon into bottom of ring and replace top. Soften fudge topping in microwave checking every 10- 15 seconds until soft but not liquid. Frost ring with fudge sauce refrigerate.