CHRISTMAS CREAM PUFF WREATH:

Prep: 50 minutes plus chilling:
Bake: 55 minutes:

PASTRY CREAM:

3 large egg yolks
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

WREATH:

6 tablespoons butter, cut up
1 cup water
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 large eggs

ALMOND PRALINE:

1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup slice natural almonds, toasted
1 cup heavy or whipping cream (whipped)
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar plus additional for garnish

PREPARE PASTRY CREAM:

In a medium bowl, with wire whisk, beat egg yolks, granulated sugar, and cornstarch until blended. In 3-quart saucepan, heat milk to simmering over medium-high heat. While constantly beating with wire whisk, gradually pour about half of simmering milk into yolk mixture. Return yolk mixture to saucepan and cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens and begins to bubble around edge of pan (mixture will not appear to boil vigorously); simmer 1 minute. Remove saucepan from heat; stir in vanilla. Transfer mixture to bowl. Cover surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent skin from forming and refrigerate at least 2 hours, until cold.

MEANWHILE PREPARE WREATH:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Grease and flour large cookie sheet. Using 8-inch cake pan or plate as guide, trace circle in flour on cookie sheet with finger. Cut 1-inch opening from 1 corner of large zip-tight plastic bag.

In 2-quart saucepan, heat butter with water over high heat until butter melts and mixture boils. Reduce heat; add flour all at once and stir vigorously with wooden spoon until mixture forms ball and leaves side of saucepan. Remove from heat. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well with wooden spoon after each addition, until batter is smooth and satiny.

Spoon dough into plastic bag; squeeze down to corner with opening. Using traced circle as guide, pipe dough in 1-inch-thick ring just inside circle on cookie sheet. Pipe another 1-inch thick ring outside of first, making sure both are touching. With remaining dough, pipe a final ring on top along center seam of first 2 rings. With moistened finger, gently smooth dough rings where ends meet.

Bake wreath 20 minutes. Turn oven control to 375 degrees F. and bake 25 minutes longer, or until golden. Remove wreath from oven; poke side in serveral places with toothpick and bake 10 minutes longer. Transfer wreath to wire rach and cool completely.

WHILE WREATH IS COOLING, PREPARE ALMOND PRALINE:

Lightly grease cookie sheet. In 1-quart saucepan heat granulated sugar and water to boiling over high heat, swirling pan occasionally to help dissolve sugar. Boil mixture, without stirring, 5 to 7 minutes, until golden. Remove pan from heat and stir in 1/3 cup almonds; reserve remaining almonds for garnish. Stir mixture over low heat just until it liquefies. Immediately pour praline mixture onto cookie sheet; spread with back of spoon to 1/2-inch thickness. Let praline cool on cookie sheet on wire rack 10 minutes, or until firm.

Break praline into small pieces. In food processor with knife blade attached, process praline until ground into a fine powder.

ASSEMBLE WREATH:

With long serrated knife, slice wreath horizontally in half. If you like, pull out some of the moist interior of wreath and discard. In small bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat cream and 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar until stiff peaks form. Gently fold praline into chilled PASTRY CREAM; spoon into bottom of wreath. Top with WHIPPED cream. Replace top of wreath. Refrigerate dessert if not serving right away.
To serve, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, garnish with reserved almonds. Makes 12 servings.

Each serving: about 295 calores, 7 g protein, 25 g. carbohydrate, 19 g total fat, 157 mg cholesterol, 125 mg sodium.