Mocha Ring

Photo: flickr user EraPhernalia Vintage

Ingredients

8 tablespoons Butter or margarine

1 cup Water

1/2 teaspoon Salt

6 teaspoons tbl Sugar, plus 1

1 cup Flour

5 Eggs

3 teaspoons Instant espresso or coffee

2 cups Heavy cream

2 tablespoons Unsweetened cocoa

1 teaspoon Vanilla

1 cup Confectioner's sugar

Preparation

Heat oven to 400F. Grease and flour a baking sheet. Mark a 10 inch circle on sheet.

Cut butter in chunks. Bring butter, water, salt and 1 teaspoon of the sugar to a boil in a saucepan and boil just until butter melts. (If water boils longer, too much will evaporate, and proportions will be thrown off.)

Remove from heat and stir in flour all at once. Stir over low heat just until mixture is smooth and comes away from the sides of the pan in a ball.

Remove from heat and beat in 4 of the eggs one at a time. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto circle.

Dip a spoon in water and smooth the dough into a ring.

Beat together remaining egg and 1 tablespoon water and brush this glaze over top of ring. Bake until golden brown and crisp, about 40 to 45 minutes. Cool completely. Dissolve 2 teaspoons cofee powder in 2 teaspoons hot water. Cool. Beat cream, cocoa, sugar, vanilla and dissolved coffee until cream holds stiff peaks. Slice off top two-thirds of ring. Pull out any soft dough. Fill bottom of ring with

Dissolve remaining 1 teaspoon coffee in 2 1/2 tablespoons hot water and stir into confectioner's sugar until smooth. Pour this icing over top of ring and let it run down the sides.

Variations:Make several small rings instead of one large one.

Sprinkle with nuts before baking. Flavor whipped cream filling with your favorite liqueur instead of espresso.

Omit the coffe icing and sprinkle with powdered sugar instead.