Mrs. Westerman's Almond Pastry

Cooking Instructions

First layer: In a medium bowl, stir together the flour and salt. With a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut the butter into the flour until it resembles cornmeal. Add the water and vanilla extract and toss the dough with a fork until it forms a ball.

Divide the ball of dough in half. On an ungreased cookie sheet, with your fingertips, pat out each half into a strip about 1 foot long and 3 inches wide. Make sure the strips are a couple of inches apart. Chill the cookie sheet while you get started on the next step.

Second layer: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan, add the butter and stir the water briskly until all the butter is melted. Turn down the heat as low as you can. Dump in all the flour at once and stir fast and furiously until the mixture is smooth. Turn off the heat but keep the pan on the burner. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until the mixture is completely smooth before adding the next egg. Take the pan off the burner and stir in the almond extract.

Divide the egg mixture--which is technically known as pate À choux--into halves. Spread each half over the unbaked pastry strips. If the choux gunk is too stiff to spread easily, try wetting your (clean) hands and patting it into shape with your fingers. Make sure that you spread the choux right to the edges of each pastry strip.

Bake the 2 strips for 50 to 60 minutes, until they are puffed and just barely brown. The top part will fall slightly as it starts to cool, which is okay. Let the pastry cool while you make the topping.

Topping: In yet another medium saucepan, over low heat, cook the butter until it begins to turn a light caramel color, about 5 minutes. Stir in the confectioners' sugar, milk, vanilla extract and salt and beat until smooth. Divide the topping in half, spread each half over the 2 pastries and sprinkle each pastry with half of the toasted almonds.

To serve, cut the pastries into 1-inch slices. The slices will look prettier if you cut them on the diagonal, but that's not essential.

Wine Pairing(s)

Rafael Bravo Reserva Pinot Noir

Eguren 'Reinares' White

Faustino VII Rioja

Aragonesas 'Castillo de Fuendejalon' Crianza

Dominio de Atauta Ribera Del Duero

Casa Castillo Monastrell

Alvear 'Asuncion' Oloroso

Infinitus Cabernet Sauvignon

Luna Beberide Mencia

Luis Canas Crianza