3 eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons butter
1 cup flour
1 box (3 ounces) instant vanilla or French vanilla pudding mix
1 cup cold milk
1 cup whipping cream
1 square unsweetened chocolate
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla

Set eggs out; they must be at room temperature. Bring 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup water to boil. Remove from heat. Add flour all at once and beat with a wooden spoon. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each egg. Dough should be stiff and sticky.

Pour batter onto a greased round pan. Using rubber spatula, form ring with 5-inch diameter center and with edges uniform in width and thickness by pulling dough from center toward sides. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes. Turn oven off and leave in closed oven at least 45 minutes, longer if possible. Opening oven door before time is up will cause dough to collapse.

Once pastry is cooled, combine pudding mix and milk. Mix with wire whisk. In separate bowl, whip cream until somewhat stiff and fold into pudding mixture. Carefully cut ring in half horizontally and fill bottom with filling. (Note: If dough breaks, fill in with custard and cover break with frosting.) Replace top.

To make frosting, microwave chocolate and 3 tablespoons butter in 15-second intervals until melted. Add powdered sugar and corn syrup and 2 to 3 teaspoons water, if needed, to bring to spreading consistency. Mix well. Add vanilla. Either drizzle over éclair or, using a pastry decorator, frost top of éclair.

Servings: 12. Serving size: 1 slice. Per serving: 332 calories, 4.1 g protein, 19.7 g fat, 33.2 g carbohydrates, 0.7 g dietary fiber, 156 mg sodium, 22.2 g sugars, 109 mg cholesterol

Margaret Bonsante, Farmers Electric Cooperative