Cream Puff Ring

Choux Paste:
1/2 cup (125 ml.) butter
1 cup (250 ml.) water
1/4 tsp. (1 ml.) salt
1 cup (250 ml.) all purpose flour
4 eggs
In medium saucepan, heat butter, water and salt until butter mixture boils. Remove from heat and add flour all at once.  With wooden spoon, stir vigorously until mixture forms ball and pulls away from side of pan. Preheat oven to 400 F.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until smooth.Cool mixture slightly.
On a greased, lightly floured cookie sheet ( I use parchment paper to eliminate this step)  trace a circle approx. 16 cm. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of choux paste just inside of circle to form ring.  Bake 40 minutes, until golden and firm.  Turn off heat, and let stand in oven 15 minutes. Cool on a rack. 

Filling:
500 ml. whipping cream
4 heaping teaspoons of sugar
1/2 - 1 tsp. vanilla
In a chilled bowl, whip cream with sugar and vanilla,until stiff.  Pipe into puffs, or split puffs with knife and spoon into the cream puff ring, replace top layer.  Drizzle with melted chocolate if desired or dust with icing sugar. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Serves approx. 10 -12