Almond Puff

½ cup butter, softened
1 cup flour
2 tbls water
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½ cup butter
1 cup water
1 tsp almond extract
1 cup flour
3 eggs
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glaze & sliced almonds, partly crushed

Cut ½ cup butter into 1 cup flour. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons water over mixture; mix with fork. Divide in half and use your hands to form cylindrical shapes with each half. On ungreased baking sheet, press and pat each half into a strip, 12" x 3". Strips should be about 3" apart on the baking sheet.

Heat oven to 350º.

In a medium saucepan, heat ½ cup butter and 1 cup water to rolling boil. Remove from heat and quickly stir in almond extract and 1 cup flour. Stir vigorously over low heat until mixture forms a ball, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Beat in eggs, all at one time, until smooth. Divide in half; spread each half evenly over strips, covering completely.

Bake about 60 minutes or until topping is crisp and brown. Cool. Frost with glaze and sprinkle generously with part sliced and part crushed almonds. To serve, cut 1" slices and arrange on serving dish.

Glaze: Stir togeher 1½ cups powdered sugar, 2 tbls butter, softened, 1 to 1½ tsps almond extract, and 1 to 2 tbls warm water until smooth.

This presents well and is simpler to prepare than the directions might lead one to believe.

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