Gateau de Crepes #FrenchFridayswithDorie

It was 10 years ago on this day that George and I went on our first date. In Athens, at a bar, right next to what would be our first apartment together, only 3 months later. We drunk strawberry daiquiris and he gave me as a very late birthday present a book about spices.

Ten years! I cannot believe they went by so fast! I guess time flies when you are happy!

So how do you celebrate 10 years of love? With a special dessert of course! And some other "stuff" I am not going to mention here ;)

One of George's favourite desserts is crepes. Since he went gluten free, a couple years ago, I tried different recipes with different flours. Some of them were a success some of them were not. But he still ate them - such a nice guy. 

Now, I might have mentioned before that I don't really believe in coincidences. For me, what we define as random events are more like road signs, put there to guide us to our destiny. Definitely not random and in my case, today, my destiny was to make this beautiful "cake" of crepes and pastry cream to celebrate our ten year anniversary. 

Because it was like this cake was following me around. Every time I went on Pinterest there was a different version of this French classic, beckoning me to click. These first signs are so easy to bypass, forget or simply ignore. I kept going on Pinterest seeing stack upon stack of crepes and ignoring them, denying my destiny until I read this week's French Fridays with Dorie recipe Butter and Rum Crepes. There at the end of the two page recipe was Dorie's Bonne Idee - an alternative way of approaching the crepes by making a Gateau de Crepes. 

Yes! Destiny! Twenty or so, soft vanilla scented crepes, one on top of the other and in between the pastry cream of my dreams. The praline pastry cream I fell in love with when I made the Paris-Brest. 

As I said, I made crepes before. Some were good and came out in one piece, perfectly round, airy and thin. Some were not so lucky. I even managed to flip a couple with the pan, the way the chefs do it on TV. Now I had to make twenty of the looking more or less the same. Scary!!!

To be on the safe side I tripled Dorie's original recipe - you need a double dose to make the amount of crepes needed for the Gateau but what if I run out of nice looking crepes halfway up? I left the batter in the fridge overnight and started flipping them first thing in the morning. I had prepared the praline pastry cream the night before and just mixed in some whipped cream a few minutes before I assembled the cake. 

My Gateau came out very rustic looking. Precision was never my strongest point in baking anyway. The taste though was absolutely fantastic! George loved it! 

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Gateau de Crepes with Praline Pastry Cream

Adapted from "Around my French Table" by Dorie Greenspan - The pastry cream was adapted by Joe Pastry.

Serves 8 - 10

Ingredients

For the Crepes - makes about 20

4 tablespoons sugar

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

Finely grated zest of  1/2 orange

4 large eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

6 tablespoons (130gr) butter, melted

1 cup all purpose gluten free flour

For the Praline Paste
8 ounces (225gr) sugar
1/4 cup (60ml) water
4 ounces (113gr) blanched almonds, toasted
4 ounces (113gr) peeled hazelnuts, toasted
2 - 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
For the Vanilla Pastry Cream
2 cups (480ml) milk
6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup (115gr) sugar
1/3 cup (40gr) cornflour
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla seeds
3 1/2 tablespoons (50gr) butter, cut into small pieces at room temperature
100gr Praline Paste
2 cups cold heavy cream

For the Chocolate Syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
1 cup water
1 pinch salt

Instructions

You can make the Praline Pastry Cream the day before and refrigerate until you use it.

To make the praline paste: Spread the almonds and the hazelnuts on a silicon mat or a piece of baking paper. They have to be close together but not on top of each other. Set it aside.

Put a heavy bottomed saucepan over a medium heat and combine the sugar and the water. Swirl the pan around to combine them but DON'T stir them. When the syrup reaches a dark amber colour, anything between 10 - 15 minutes remove it from the heat and carefully pour the caramel over the nuts.

Let it cool completely.

Once cooled brake it into pieces and place it in a food processor. Process it until it becomes fine and then start adding the oil, gradually, one tablespoon at a time, until a paste begins to form. You might not have to use all the oil or you might have to use more.

Keep it in the fridge, covered, until the time comes to mix it with the pastry cream.

For the pastry cream: Whisk the egg yolks together with the sugar and the cornflour in a medium, heavy bottomed saucepan until they are all blended very well. Bring the milk to a boil in another smaller saucepan.

Drizzle a little of the milk on to the yolk mixture, whisking all the time. Then add the remaining milk in a steady stream, still whisking. Put the pan over medium heat and "whisking vigorously, constantly and thoroughly" bring the mixture to a boil. Keep whisking for 1 or 2 more minutes and them pull the pan from the heat.

Whisk in the vanilla seeds. Let the cream stand for 5 minutes and then whisk in the pieces of butter, one at a time until all the butter is incorporated and the cream is smooth.


Put the cream into a bowl, press a piece of plastic wrap against its surface and refrigerate.
 - This cream will keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. -

For the Crepes: The crepe batter has to stay in the fridge for at least 2 hours before you use it. I suggest you make it the day before and let it stay overnight in the fridge.

Melt the butter and let it cool. Mix the sugar with the lemon and orange zest together. Put the eggs,vanilla, sugar with zest, milk and salt in a blender and mix on medium speed. Pour in the butter and blend until it is well combined. Add the flour and pulse until it is blended. Be careful not to over-mix it!

Pour the batter in a pitcher, cover and refrigerate for up to one day. It should have the consistency of heavy double cream. If it is thicker than this you can add a splash of milk to lighten it.

Assemble the cake: Take the pastry cream and praline out of the fridge and let them come to room temperature. Mix about 80 to 100gr of the praline with pastry cream. Set aside.

Bring the crepe batter to room temperature. Place a 9-inch/20cm nonstick pan over medium heat. Swab the surface with vegetable oil. Add about 3 tablespoons of batter and swirl the pan to cover the surface. Cook until the bottom just begins to brown, no more than 1 minute. Using a spatula lift an edge and flip the crepe. Use your fingers - it is hot but it is the safest way. Cook on the other side for just a few seconds. Carefully slide the crepe onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Repeat until you have about 18 - 20 perfect crepes.

Whip the heavy cream with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Fold it into the praline pastry cream. It will become fluffy and lighter.

Lay one crepe on a cake stand. Cover with a layer of pastry cream using an icing spatula. Cover with a crepe and repeat until you use all your pastry cream. Make sure to keep a nice looking crepe to put on top.

Chill the cake for at least 2 hours! Before serving you can sprinkle it with icing sugar or with chocolate syrup.

Make the Chocolate Syrup: Whisk the sugar, cacao powder, water and salt together in a small saucepan until they combine. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil whisking frequently. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes until it thickens. Remove from heat and cool. You can store it in a bottle in the refrigerator.

Helene's White Salad #FrenchFridayswithDorie

This week's French Fridays with Dorie recipe is Helene's All White Salad. It is named after the woman who created it, another of Dorie's friends from Paris, Helene Samuel. She was the owner of a very fashion conscious cafe in Paris where the food was perfectly colour coordinated with the décor.

I was so happy when I saw it on the menu for this week! I've been on a quest to fit into a pair of jeans I bought two years ago and are a size too small now so salads were on the menu throughout the week and are going to be for the next few to come! 

Variety is a diet's best friend if you ask me and this salad is definitely something I've never tried before. 

Apples, white cup mushrooms, cabbage and celery sticks! All raw and fresh. It is definitely a herbivore's dream meal.

 I changed it up a bit to make it almost fat free since the original vinaigrette called for 3/4 cup of olive oil ---way too much for my diet--- and I used fennel instead of celery because George jinxed the celery.

On Thursday night as I was writing down the shopping list for the ingredients I needed to make the salad, George looked over my shoulder and said:

"This is going to be one strange salad. Where are you going to find celery sticks? Is celery even available in Zagreb?"

Off course there is celery in Zagreb! Tons of celery in Zagreb! I said. Only the day before I saw all these huge, fresh, almost fluorescent green, celery stalks sitting languidly in Mercator.

He looked at me with an apologetic puppy look and went back to his laptop to continue his battle with Championship Manager.

And then the next day when I went to the supermarket and all that beautiful celery was gone! I looked everywhere! Under the swiss chard and the spinach and the lettuces. No celery stalks anywhere. Talking about heartbroken!

I did find a few gorgeous bulbs of fennel though! They were white and crunchy and so aromatic. Perfect for a raw, fresh salad like this one. I sliced it really thin and I think it added so much flavour.

I also tampered with the vinaigrette. I tampered quite a lot actually. The original recipe calls for a type of mayonnaise made from an egg yolk, Greek yoghurt and olive oil. Very tasty, I am sure, but I opted to skip it all together and make a skinny version of a mustard vinaigrette with a little bit of coconut milk.

I have to confess that the fennel substitution worked perfectly with this salad! In the end I am happy that George jinxed the celery!

To see how my fellow Doristas liked this recipe please click here!

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All White Salad with Fennel & Mushrooms

Adapted from "Around my French Table" by Dorie Greenspan

Serves 6

Ingredients for the Salad

1 large bulb of fennel

3 apples

Lemon juice

300gr (10 ounces) white cup mushrooms

1 small Napa cabbage

A few small cubes of Graviera cheese or any other hard cheese

Ingredients for the Vinaigrette

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

3/4 teaspoon coarse salt

1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons coconut milk

Water to taste

Instructions

Wash and trim the fennel. Finely slice it using a food processor or a mandolin. Set aside.

Peel, halve and cut the apples into small cubes. Sprinkle them with a little lemon juice to keep them from becoming brown. 

Clean the mushrooms with a brush or a wet paper towel and slice them very thinly. Sprinkle them with lemon juice and add them to the apples. 

Wash the cabbage and cut it in very thin slices (like coleslaw) and add it to the bowl with the apples and mushrooms. Sprinkle the fennel slices on top and mix everything well.

Make the vinaigrette by mixing all the ingredients in a small jar. Shake the jar well until they emulsify. Add salt and pepper and a few tablespoons of water to make it as thin as you wish. The vinaigrette can be used immediately or stored in the fridge (might need to come to room temperature before it is used again due to the hardening of the coconut milk). 

To serve pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables and add a few cubes of cheese, if you want!

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Homemade Dulce de Leche

I know, I know. You deserve to be angry with me and I deserve every word of criticism!

Only a few days ago, in my last post, I was all about dieting and loosing weight and now I am posting on how to make your own Dulce de Leche. I am obviously not offering you a lot of help if you are really on a diet. 

Please forgive me! It is not entirely my fault. You see I am blessed with friends and relatives in Greece who every time I ask them to send me an ingredient that's not available in Zagreb, not only do they oblige but sometimes do so in excess. Just before Christmas, I asked a friend who was going to Athens for the holidays to bring me back a couple of cans of sweetened condensed milk. It is not available in Zagreb and I had my mind set on making small jars of Dulce de Leche to give out as gifts. She came back, a week after the New Year, with not two but SIX cans. She wasn't sure which brand was the best so she bought two of each brand she found in the supermarket!! Bless her!! 

In the meantime, I might have mentioned in passing my intentions to my sister, who is ever so helpful and supportive of me and my Box of Stolen Socks, and within days after the first six cans of milk arrived, I opened a parcel containing four more. Total cans of sweetened condensed milk in my pantry at the moment: TEN! 

There is going to be a lot of dulce de leche making in this kitchen for a long time!  

For those who don't know what this lovely, sweet concoction is, I am going to explain. 

It is something like caramelised milk jam! Yes, you read right, it is a sweet, creamy, caramel milky jam! It is made from sweetened milk which is cooked slowly until most of the water in the milk evaporates and the sugar caramelises. 

It is very popular in Latin America, hence the name, but you can find versions of it from Norway to the Philippines. 

The most basic recipe calls for slowly simmering milk and sugar for at least two hours stirring them constantly. Excuse me but this seems an eternity to spent in front of the stove and in any case I have way too many cans of sweetened condensed milk sitting in my pantry, so I opted for the version using those instead of fresh milk. 

I have a few recipes in which the can of milk is boiled, unopened, in water for 2 to 3 hours. But to tell you the truth I was not very comfortable with the idea of having any sort of pressurised hot caramel boiling in my kitchen for such a long time. A more thorough search of my recipe database came up with a less dangerous and virtually hassle free way of making this delectable sweet treat. 

Australian chef Donna Hay uses this easy technique of actually baking the milk in a double boiler in the oven. Ingenious! No muscle burn from endless hours of stirring or third degree burns from hot caramel explosions! It is so simple you will want to make dulce de leche everyday! And you know what you don't have to eat it if you don't want to ruin your diet! Just do as I did. Pour the hot caramel sauce into small sterilised jars and gift it to your friends. It is not pink or red but there is nothing sweeter than a jar of homemade dulce de leche for your Valentine!

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Homemade Dulce de Leche

Recipe from Donna Hay

Make 2 cups

Ingredients

2 cans of sweetened condensed milk, 395gr each

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425F/220C degrees. 

Pour the condensed milk into an ovenproof baking dish and cover it very tightly with foil. 

Place it in a larger, deeper ovenproof baking dish or baking tray and fill it with boiling water until it reaches 2/3 of the way up the sides of the dish.

Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes. The milk should turn into caramel and become darker in colour. Spoon into sterilised glass jars. 

You can keep it in the fridge for up to 1 month.

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Gluten Free Banana & Walnut Cookies

It has been quite an indulgent week on my part.

I made the most amazing Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake for my birthday - thank you all so much for your wishes (heart) - which I followed with a classic French pastry filled with the most amazing praline and vanilla cream, the by now famous Paris-Brest. 

This has to end soon! 

My body is not as forgiving as some years ago and my spine has started to complain again about the extra kilos I am forcing her to carry around these past few months.

If you have lower back issues like I do, whether those are a simple pain when you get up from a sitting position that goes away after a few steps or a persistent pain when you bent which has unfortunately moved down your leg, the first thing you have to do is book an appointment with a physiotherapist or an osteopath and then begin exercise to strengthen your core muscles but most importantly lose some weight. Believe me, I know what I am talking about. After two lower back operations and three years of physical therapy I think I have earned my right to talk about this issue with authority

There was a time when I did not spent too much time worrying about how I looked and how my weight might affect my health.

We were posted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, at the time. Life there was so different, to say the least, from everything I had experienced thus far. I had to wear an abaya whenever I was out in public, there were no movie theatres, no bars, no coffee shops, at least the type of coffee places we are used to in the rest of the world, where men and women (even married to each other) could sit and enjoy a cup of coffee, seeing other people around them. Every cafe and restaurant has a "singles section" where only men are allowed, and a "family section" where women with their husbands are allowed to enter. Each table is curtained off and very private. Imagine eating in a place where you hear other people eating around you but you don't see them. It is a very peculiar feeling. And don't get me started on religious freedom or the lack thereof...

Since there were virtually no ways to entertain ourselves outside our house we went to restaurants on a regular basis. There were not many to chose from, no let me rephrase that, there were not many quality restaurants to chose from. Saudis love American fast food ironic given the recent history, but not really because before the 1980's America practically build the country. But in any event, this is primarily a food blog and I do not want to delve deep into the political intricacies of the Saudi-American relationship. I promise to talk more about the everyday life in Riyadh in many posts to come, but for now if you are thinking of moving there and need more information and an unbiased opinion about living in the country you are welcome to contact me by email.

Now where was I? Going out to restaurants and eating our hearts out because we were frankly too bored to care and was too hot to do any type of physical activity. That was our lifestyle and in three years I managed to gain 30 kilos - that is 66 pound for you, my American friends. 

Here is a picture of me at a very important occasion. The President of Greece was on an official visit to Saudi Arabia. We hosted a reception at our embassy and I look horrible because they're nothing in my closet that would fit me. 90 kilos is A LOT to carry around and that is when my back gave way at age 29. I started to suffer terrible back aches. In just one year the pain spread down my left leg. It went numb and was very very very irritating. Disc hernia was the diagnosis and operation the treatment. 

But I will save this story for another post. 

What I wanted to say before I got so carried away - damn you A.D.D - was that I managed to get back on my feet and feel normal again with lots of exercise and weight control. Here is a picture of me and George at a friend's Halloween party a couple years ago where we won the prize for best costume!

See what difference a bit of exercise does? 30 kilos in three years!!

If you are still with me reading my ramblings please stay a little longer to read the recipe for the Gluten Free Banana &  Walnut cookies. 

This is recipe No3 in my series of baking all the recipes in Robyn Ryberg's The Ultimate Gluten Free Cookie Book. 

I made them just after the New Year, hence the festive golden background and they turned out very well. 

I am not saying that because they are gluten free are good for a diet. There is sugar in the recipe and eggs and oil so not a typical diet food but as a person who managed to turn her weight around, I want to tell you that for me the most effective diet is not to starve and deprive yourself. 

Have just one cookie with your coffee in the morning or as a sweet treat after a meal and not the whole box.

Moderation is paramount to losing weight in a healthy manner. So don't forget to treat yourself to something nice once a week. 

Here is the recipe.

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Gluten Free Banana & Walnut Cookies

Adapted from "The Ultimate Gluten Free Cookie Book" by Robyn Ryberg 

Makes about 30 cookies

Ingredients

1/3 cup (65gr) oil

1/2 cup (100gr) sugar

1 1/2 cups (185gr) brown rice flour

1 egg

2 ripe bananas, mashed

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 xanthan gum

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup (60gr) chopped walnuts

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F/180C. 

Lightly grease a cookie tray.

Combine the oil and sugar in a medium bowl and beat well. Add the flour and beat very well. Add all the remaining ingredients and beat well. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again. The dough will be soft.

Drop rounded teaspoonfuls of the dough (it is quite sticky don't worry) onto your prepared tray. Wet your fingertips and press the cookies to 0.5cm/0.25inch thickness.

Bake the cookies for 10 minutes until they begin to brown. Let them cool on a wire rack before serving them.

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Paris-Brest #FrenchFridayswithDorie

How does that saying go? Third time lucky? Fourth time is a charm? No? Fifth time then? Well, in my case was nearer to SIXTH time - and NOT so lucky - until I gave up trying my luck making pâte à choux for this week's French Friday with Dorie recipe.  Paris-Brest!  Up until a week ago I had no idea it existed, let alone what it was. But I learned, oh yeah, I learned all about it.... the hard way.  Paris is the capital of France and Brest is a small town, 500 km west of Paris at the Westernmost part of Bretagne, again in France. So you have two cities, miles apart, with nothing in common, other than the fact that they are both in the same country, and have a strange circular dessert named after them. Why in the world would someone name a pastry after not one, something that many pastries around the world have in common, but two cities that are so far from each other? Only in France!!! Distance is the key here as well as the fact that the French love bicycle races almost as much as sweet pastries. There are almost a dozen races every year. They cover virtually every part of the country, culminating to the world famous Tour de France in July. All of them are quite popular with both professional and amateur bicycle racers, but only one of them has its own dessert named after it. The Paris - Brest. A 1200 km high endurance race from Paris to the town of Brest and then back to Paris, is one of the oldest bicycling events in France. And the circular choux pastry filled with praline flavoured cream that you see above and which I had to make over and over until I got it, almost right, was created to celebrate this race.  It became very popular among the bicyclists and the spectators and not because its shape reminded them of a bicycle wheel. It was the praline pastry cream! Its flavour is just heavenly. The pastry chef who came up with this recipe was truly an artist. Because on their own the praline paste and the vanilla pastry cream are okay. Not bad but neither great. When you put them together though, they become something amazing! A flavour elevated to a whole new level of deliciousness.  But let me start from the beginning. That is the pâte à choux. Traditionally French and notoriously troublesome to those of us who are not seasoned bakers, but absolutely necessary to showcase the majesty of the cream. It is airy and light and melts pleasantly in the mouth. Then there is the praline. A potent paste made from roasted almonds and hazelnuts coated in hot caramel and then whizzed around in the food processor until it all becomes THE most luscious nut butter. You can just eat it on its own or spoon it on a piece of bread. In fact I've done both, while waiting, utterly frustrated for the choux to bake, and I had to restrain myself from eating it all because a good part of it has to go into the actual pastry cream. That is a very traditional vanilla pastry cream made with cornflour, milk, butter and plenty of egg yolks. It is good, thick and packed with calories, much appreciated I guess from all the cyclists participating in the race. But as I said before the magic happens when you mix those two together. The overwhelming smokiness of the praline mellows and the underwhelming thickness of the cream becomes more elegant. To me it is the definition of balance. One bite of the finished whole and I  forgot how difficult it was to tame the choux rings and make them sit as they were supposed to sit so that they puff and huff and stay high. Six times I had to make the pastry. More than four hours I spent in front of the oven willing it to rise. And 24 broken eggs later I managed to get it to stay halfway were I wanted it. After that I gave up and decided it was time to eat it! To check out how my fellow Doristas liked this recipe click here. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Paris - Brest with Vanilla and Praline Cream Adapted from "Around my French Table" by Dorie Greenspan and Joe Pastry Serves 8 For the Praline Paste 8 ounces (225gr) sugar 1/4 cup (60ml) water 4 ounces (113gr) blanched almonds, toasted 4 ounces (113gr) peeled hazelnuts, toasted 2 - 4 tablespoons vegetable oil For the Vanilla Pastry Cream 2 cups (480ml) milk 6 large egg yolks 1/2 cup (115gr) sugar 1/3 cup (40gr) cornflour 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla seeds 3 1/2 tablespoons (50gr) butter, cut into small pieces at room temperature For the pâte à choux 1/2 cup (120ml) milk 1/2 cup (120ml) water 8 tablespoons (110gr) butter, cut into 4 pieces 1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup (110gr) flour 4 large eggs, at room temperature 1/2 cup sliced almonds 1 egg whisked with 1 teaspoon of water, to wash the pastry before you put it in the oven Icing sugar Instructions I suggest you tackle this dessert in stages like a bicycle race, as Dorie says in her book.  First make the praline paste: Spread the almonds and the hazelnuts on a silicon mat or a piece of baking paper. They have to be close together but not on top of each other. Set it aside for now and concentrate in making the caramel.   Put a heavy bottomed saucepan over a medium heat and combine the sugar and the water. Swirl the pan around to combine them but DON'T stir them. If you stir them the caramel will crystallize and this is not very good. When the syrup reaches a dark amber colour, anything between 10 - 15 minutes remove it from the heat and carefully pour the caramel over the nuts.  Let it cool completely.  Once cooled brake it into pieces and place it in a food processor. Process it until it becomes fine and then start adding the oil, gradually, one tablespoon at a time, until a paste begins to form. You might not have to use all the oil or you might have to use more.  Keep it in the fridge, covered, until the time comes to mix it with the pastry cream.  Now for the pastry cream: Whisk the egg yolks together with the sugar and the cornflour in a medium, heavy bottomed saucepan until they are all blended very well. Bring the milk to a boil in another smaller saucepan. Drizzle a little of the milk on to the yolk mixture, whisking all the time. Then add the remaining milk in a steady stream, still whisking. Put the pan over medium heat and "whisking vigorously, constantly and thoroughly" bring the mixture to a boil. Keep whisking for 1 or 2 more minutes and them pull the pan from the heat.  Whisk in the vanilla seeds. Let the cream stand for 5 minutes and then whisk in the pieces of butter, one at a time until all the butter is incorporated and the cream is smooth.  Put the cream into a bowl, press a piece of plastic wrap against its surface and refrigerate until you are ready to fill the choux pastry. - This cream will keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. - Brace yourself for the pâte à choux: Preheat your oven to 425F/220C. Draw an 8-inch (20cm) circle on a piece of baking paper, turn it over and use it to line a baking sheet. This going to be your piping guide. You can use the bottom of a baking pan or a lid to draw the circle around it.  Fit a large pastry bag with a large plain tip (1 inch/2.5cm). If you don't have a tip just cut the end of the bag.  In a medium heavy bottomed saucepan, bring the milk, water, butter, sugar and salt to a rapid boil, over high heat. Add the flour all at once, lower the heat to medium-low and start stirring with a wooden spoon.  The dough will come together quickly and a crust will form on the bottom of the pan. Keep stirring vigorously for another minute or two to dry the dough. It should be very smooth.  Turn the dough into the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Let it sit for a minute and then add the eggs one at a time. Make sure that each one is fully incorporated before you add the next. Beat, until the dough is thick and shiny.  Once it the choux pastry is made, it should be used immediately, so now spoon it into your prepared pastry bag and pipe a thick stream along the circular guide line on your baking paper. The trick, according to Joe Pastry is to keep the tip well off the paper and let the pastry fall out of the bag from a height of at least 1-inch (2.5cm). Otherwise the pastry will spread out, which is what happened to mine and is not good.  Once you have your first ring, pipe a second ring of dough inside the first ring, barely touching each other. Now pipe a third ring on top of the other two, right in the middle.  You are going to have some leftover dough, which you could make into éclairs or cream puffs.      Gently score the rings with a fork and apply some egg wash. Sprinkle with the sliced almonds.  Put it in the oven for 15 minutes. Lower the temperature to 375F/190C and bake for another 20 minutes. If you have an air oven reduce time by 5 minutes. When it is puffed, brown and firm turn the oven off, open the door and allow it to dry in the oven for about half an hour.  Meanwhile take the pastry cream and praline out of the fridge and let them come to room temperature. Mix about 80 to 100gr of the praline with pastry cream and put it in a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip.  Construct your masterpiece: Slice off the top half of the cream puff ring, using a serrated knife in a gently sawing motion. Put the bottom half on your serving dish and pipe the pastry cream in circles or shells.  Gently place the top half of the pastry on top of the cream and sprinkle with icing sugar. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before you serve and bask in the glory of your efforts! ~~~~~~~~~~~ I am submintting the post to the following parties Mouthwatering Mondays