Cream Puffs Praline - cream puffs

Method

• CREAM PUFFS: Place butter in a medium saucepan. Add water and salt. Bring to boiling, stirring until butter melts. Add flour all at once, stirring vigorously. Cook and stir till mixture forms a ball that doesn't separate.
• Remove from heat; cool 10 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, to flour mixture, beating with a wooden spoon after each addition for about 1 minute, or till smooth.
• Scoop up some dough with a tablespoon. use another spoon to push off the dough in a mound onto a lightly greased baking sheet. Leave 3-inches between the puffs for expansion. Bake in preheated 400F oven for about 30 minutes. or until golden brown. Remove puffs from pan. Cool on a rack.
• FOR PECAN: Line a baking pan with foil. Grease foil with a little margarine or butter; set aside. In a heavy skillet combine pecan halves, sugar, margarine or butter and vanilla. Cook over medium-high heat, shaking skillet occasionally, till sugar begins to melt. (do not stir). Reduce heat to low; cool till sugar is melted and golden brown, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Pour into the prepared baking pan. Cool completely. Break into small pieces. Place ice cream in a chilled bowl. Use a wooden spoon to stir ice cream to soften slightly. Stir in glazed pecans. Cover and freeze.
• FOR SAUCE: In a heavy saucepan combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, half-and-half or light cream, and margarine or butter. Cool over medium-high heat till boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat. Cook and stir for 5 minutes more, or till slightly thickened. Stir in pecans. Keep warm.
• TO ASSEMBLE: Cut off the top fourth of each cream puff. Remove any soft dough from inside. Spoon about 1/3 cup of the ice cream mixture into each cream puff. Replace tops. Drizzle each cream puff with warm pecan sauce.