Preparation

• PIE CRUST FOR THE BASE
  
  In a food processor, process on pulse, flour, salt, butter, and sugar to mix. Add water. pulse to blend. Roll out dough 10 inches in diameter and transfer to a baking sheet. Refrigerate.
  
  CREAM PUFF DOUGH
  For cream puff dough:
  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat water and butter to a rolling boil in a saucepan. Stir in flour all at once. Stir vigorously over low heat until mixture no longer sticks to pan and forms into a ball. Remove from heat. Beat eggs in thoroughly, one by one. Beat mixture until smooth. Spoon cream puff mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a plain tube. Brush the prepared pastry with egg glaze and pipe a circle of cream puff dough around the edge of pastry. Pipe a second circle inside and touching the first. Then pipe a 1-inch mound of the cream puff in the center of the base. Bake until puffed, golden brown and dry. Let cool on rack. On a second sheet pan, pipe the remaining cream puff dough into 1-inch mounds about 2 inches apart. Brush with egg glaze. Bake until puffs have doubled and are golden brown and firm to touch. Transfer puffs to rack and let cool.
  
  FOR CARAMEL:
  Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil over low heat. Boil until mixture turns into a golden caramel color.
  
  FILLING :
  
  Dissolve the gelatin in water and let stand for 5 minutes. In a mixing bowl, whisk sugar and egg yolks till thick and creamy. Mix in the flour. Boil the milk and gradually pour over the egg mixture. Pour mixture in a heavy-bottom sauce pan. Whisk over medium heat until thick. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the softened gelatin. Beat the egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. Stir 1/3 of the egg whites into the hot pastry cream with a whisk, then fold in the rest. Fit a pastry tube with a medium star tip and fill with the pastry cream. Pipe the cream decoratively over the bottom of pastry ring. Then pipe a large rosette of cream between each cream puffs. Chill before serving.