Source: Ana Maria Kruger
Makes 8 servings.
Preparation time: 1 hour
Tips: Choux dough or eclair's dough makes the ring.
Puff Ring - Strawberry Cream
Ingredients
Preparation
CHOUX DOUGH: see note (1)
4 ounces butter (1 stick)
1 cup water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup flour
1 pinch salt
3 to 4 eggs
Grease and flour cookie sheet. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
1. In small saucepan bring butter, water, sugar and salt to boil over low heat. Butter should melt by time liquid bubbles. Remove from heat. All at once, add flour. Stir immediately with wooden spoon. Mixture will thicken and form a ball in pan. Transfer to a medium bowl and cool. Gradually add 1 egg and beat with wooden spoon until well incorporated. Add egg again until mixture is glossy and thick. Make take up to 4 eggs.
2. Place mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a nozzle 1/2-inch in diameter.
3. Pipe a ring shape about 8" to 10" in diameter, making two to three slightly overlapping turns (coil like) until the dough is gone.
4. Bake at 350 F degrees for about 15 minutes, it should puff up but not brown right away. If browning to fast reduce temperature to 325 F degrees. When ring appears to have set it's shape, with a sharp knife pierce at various places along the sides to allow moisture to escape. Bake for another 20-30 minutes until golden brown.
5. Turn oven off, remove ring from oven, split in half along thickness and return to oven leaving door ajar for the puff to dry completely, about 10 minutes.
6. Filling: In a small bowl combine 10 tsp. water with 2 tsp. powdered unflavored gelatin, heat in microwave for few second to dissolve, stirring once or twice. Cool at room temperature (about 7 minutes). Mixture should still be liquid. Mix cream and dissolved gelatin and whip until stiff, add sugar and vanilla continue mixing to incorporate. Spread a layer of whipped cream, top with sliced strawberries, sprinkle with granulated sugar. Top again with cream and continue building layers until all filling is gone. Place ring cover on top. 7. Sprinkle with Powdered sugar. Keep refrigerated.
Serve within 24 hours.
NOTE: 1) Ring may be baked a day or two ahead and fill shortly before serving time.
2) Gelatin prevents the cream from falling after been whipped.
3) Adjust to your taste of sweetness.
FILLING:
2 cups heavy or whipping cream
2 teaspoons unflavored powder gelatin, see note (2)
10 teaspoons water
1/4 to 1/2 cup powdered sugar, see note (3)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups fresh strawberries, cleaned, sliced
sugar, to sprinkle over berries
