Pâte à choux
1 egg yolk & 1 tsp of water
3 oz of blanched almonds, sliced

• Butter a cookie sheet, sprinkle with flour and shake off excess.
• Using a 8 inches pie or cake pan, trace a circle on the cookie sheet.
• Preheat oven 425°F.
• With a pastry bag, fitted with a round 1/2 inch tip, squeeze out on the cookie sheet two rings for a base and another one on top.
• Wet your fingers to smooth out any problem with the paste.
• With the remaining paste make some small puffs.
• Combine egg yolk and water and brush this “dorure” on top of the ring and the small puffs.
• Sprinkle the ring with almonds.
• Bake 30 minutes on middle rack of oven. Prick to let steam escape.
• Turn off the oven – Return to oven for 5 to 10 minutes (door ajar)
• Cool on wire rack.
• Cut the crown in the middle. Cut evenly all around.

Crème St. Honoré

1 2/3 cups milk
1 tsp of vanilla extract
4 large egg yolks
1/4 cup of granulated sugar
1/3 cup of flour
1 cup of whipping cream & 2 Tbsp of sugar

• Scald the milk, add vanilla.
• Meanwhile stir egg yolks and gradually add sugar until the mixture turns pale yellow.
• Add the flour.
• Slowly add the hot milk, stirring constantly.
• Pour in a saucepan and bring slowly to boiling. Work very fast to avoid lumps.
• Let cool slightly and spoon into the bottom part of the pâte à choux.
• Whip the cream until stiff and add the sugar.
• Put the whipped cream in a pastry bag and cover the Crême St Honoré.
• Gently put back the top of the pâte à choux.

Assembling

• Cut the ring in the middle.
• Use tooth picks to keep track of the right fitting.
• Fill with the cream.
• Sprinkle with confectioners sugar.