• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a medium saucepan combine the butter, water and salt. Heat over medium high until it is boiling.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the flour with a wooden spoon until mixed in. Return to the heat to cook the flour. Cook for about 5 more minutes until it no longer smells like raw flour. The dough should form a ball in the center when stirred.
• Transfer dough to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on high speed to cool it down.
• Once it is warm to the touch but not hot add the eggs one at a time with speed on low.
• The dough should be soft and not sticky.
• Place dough in a piping bag fitted with a round tip
• Pipe mounds onto the baking sheet. About 2 inches in diameter.
• You can wet your finger and flatten any peaks that form when you pipe.
• Bake for 15 minutes until they puff up.
• Turn the heat in the oven down to 350 and continue to bake about 25-30 minutes until they are golden.
• Once baked turn off the oven and crack the door to allow the puffs to dry out some more. 10-15 minutes.
• Take out of oven and allow to cool completely.

For the pastry cream

• In a medium saucepan heat the milk and almond extract on medium low heat until simmering.
• In a separate bowl whisk together the egg yolk, sugar and cornstarch until smooth.
• When milk is simmering remove from heat and temper the milk into the egg mixture. Add a little bit at a time to the egg mixture and continuously stir to slowly bring up the temperature of the eggs without cooking them. Continue to do this until milk is gone.
• Return mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium high heat while stirring until it thickens. Pour it into a bowl that has the butter into it and stir to combine. Once mixed run it through a mesh sieve to get rid of any clumps and put in the fridge too cool.

For the cranberry compote

• Combine cranberries, sugar, water and vanilla in a small saucepan.
• Heat over medium high heat until it starts to boil
• Reduce to a simmer and cook until it thickens – about 5-10 minutes
• Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.

Assembly

• Once creampuffs are completely cool cut off the top third of the puffs carefully with a seated knife.
• Spoon a small amount of cranberry compote into the bottom of each puff.
• Put the pastry cream in a piping bag and pipe cream on top of the compote. Put the top of the creampuff back on top.
• Pipe a dollop of pastry cream on top and garnish with sugar coated cranberry if desired.
• Store in the fridge