Vanilla cream puffs with craquelin topping

Ingredients

Craquelin :

• 1.7 oz butter
• 1.7 oz brown sugar
• 1.7 oz almond flour
• 0.7 oz flour
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Diplomat cream (pastry cream + whipped cream) :

• 2 cups milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2.4 oz sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1.6 oz cornstarch
• 1.7 oz butter
• 6 oz cold heavy cream (30% fat)

Choux pastry :

• 1/2 cup water
• 1.7 oz butter
• 0.05 oz salt
• 0.08 oz sugar (optional)
• 2.6 oz flour
• 5.3 oz eggs (2 eggs)

Materials

• Piping bag
• 0.4 inch piping tip
• 0.5 inch piping tip
• Spatula
• Dough scraper
• Parchment paper
• Saucepan
• Plastic wrap
• Rolling pin
• 2-inch-diameter round cutter
• 2.4-inch-diameter round cutter
• Whisk
• Electric mixer
• Baking dish

Preparation

• Craquelin :
  Mix softened butter + sugar + almond flour + flour + vanilla extract by hand.
• Spread the craquelin between two sheets of plastic wrap using a rolling pin. It should be 2 mm thick. Freeze it flat.
  
• Pastry cream:
  Mix the eggs and half of the sugar in a bowl. Add the cornstarch and mix well.
• Pour milk + vanilla into a saucepan. Add the remaining half of the sugar. Bring to a boil.
  
• Pour half of the milk directly into the bowl and incorporate well. Then pour this mixture back into the saucepan. Stir and return to heat.
• Stir the mixture until boiling. Once boiling, cook for another 2 minutes while stirring.
  
• Remove the saucepan from heat and add the butter cut into small pieces. Mix well. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the cream to prevent it from drying out. Refrigerate and let cool completely.
• Choux pastry:
  Pour the water into a saucepan. Add the butter, salt, and sugar (optional). Bring to a boil. The butter should melt completely.
  
• Remove from heat and add the flour all at once. Mix well over medium heat. When a smooth ball forms, remove from heat.
• Add beaten eggs gradually. Mix with a wooden spoon. The dough should slowly fall back when you draw a line in the bottom of the saucepan with the spoon.
  
• Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a 0.5-inch-diameter piping tip. Secure the parchment paper to a baking sheet with a little choux pastry.
• Dip a 2-inch-diameter round cutter in powdered sugar or flour, then use it to mark circles on the parchment paper. Pipe the choux pastry into the circles.
  
• Cut 2.4-inch-diameter circles from the craquelin using a round cutter. Place the craquelin circles on top of the choux pastry.
• Bake for 30 minutes at 340°F (170°C), then reduce the temperature to 280°F (140°C) and bake for another 20 minutes. Remove the choux from the oven and let them cool completely.
  
• Diplomat cream:
  Loosen the pastry cream using an electric mixer. Whip the cold cream until it forms soft peaks, then fold it into the pastry cream using a spatula. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a 0.4-inch-diameter piping tip.
• Pierce the bottom of each choux puff with a knife. Fill the puffs with diplomat cream.
  
• Variation: Cut each choux puff in half and fill the bottom half. Smooth the cream to the edge, pipe small mounds of cream on top, and replace the top.
• There you are, your craquelin topped vanilla cream puffs are ready!
  

Observations

Pastry cream:
Add half of the sugar from the recipe to your milk: the milk won't stick to the saucepan.
Pastry cream can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.
To cool your pastry cream more quickly: pour it into a cold baking dish, cover "directly" with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.

Filling:
You can fill your puffs with only whipped cream or only pastry cream if you prefer.

Craquelin:
Craquelin is optional; your puffs will be larger and crunchier with it.

Freezing:
You can freeze your choux pastry and craquelin to make more later.

Cookware

Questions

Photos of members who cooked this recipe