Choux au Craquelin: When a Cookie and a Cream Puff Have a Baby
Recipe Overview
Overview
Choux au Craquelin is a classic French pastry that brings together the best of both worlds: a light and airy cream puff topped with a crispy, crackly layer. The process begins with making a perfect choux dough, which is surprisingly simple yet requires attention to detail. The key lies in the moisture content, which allows the pastry to puff beautifully in the oven, creating a delightful cavernous interior ready to be filled with a luscious pastry cream.
The addition of a crackling topping not only enhances the visual appeal but also adds a satisfying crunch that contrasts beautifully with the soft filling. This recipe encourages experimentation with flavors and techniques, making it a fun challenge for both novice and experienced bakers. The result is a pastry that is not only delicious but also a showstopper at any gathering.
Filling the choux with crème légère, a lightened pastry cream, elevates the dessert to new heights. The combination of textures—from the crispy exterior to the creamy interior—creates a delightful experience with every bite. Whether you’re preparing for a special occasion or simply indulging in a sweet treat, Choux au Craquelin is sure to impress.
Recipe Details
Steps & Tips
Gather milk, water, butter, salt, sugar, and flour.
Tip: Using all milk gives better browning but less crispiness.
Tip: Using all water maximizes expansion but results in less tenderness.
Bring milk, water, butter, salt, and sugar to a gentle simmer.
Dump in the flour and incorporate it carefully.
Tip: Cooking until the skin forms at the bottom is a useful indicator.
Tip: The best indicator for doneness is the temperature of the dough.
Cook the dough until it reaches 175°F.
Transfer the dough to a food processor.
Tip: Weigh your eggs for a more consistent result.
Add eggs to the food processor and mix until smooth.
Transfer the dough to a piping bag.
Let the dough rest for 30 minutes to an hour.
Tip: Let the dough rest to prevent it from pulling out too much when piping.
Mix softened butter and light brown sugar until homogeneous.
Tip: Using light brown sugar gives a crisper texture.
Roll the crackling dough into a 9 by 13 rectangle.
Tip: Freezing the topping helps it hold its shape better.
Cut out circles from the rolled dough and freeze for 30 minutes.
Pipe the shoe dough onto parchment paper.
Tip: The topping should be larger than the piped dough by about half an inch.
Place the frozen crackling discs on top of the piped dough.
Bake in a 400°F oven for 12-15 minutes, then reduce to 325°F for another 12-15 minutes.
Tip: Lightly flatten the toppings to ensure even baking.
Let the baked crackling cool down.
Whisk together pastry cream ingredients until smooth.
Tip: Sacrifice about a third of the whipped cream when folding for better texture.
Fold in whipped cream to the pastry cream.
Load the filling into a piping bag.
Hollow out the baked cream puffs using a thermometer or skewer.
Tip: Use a thermometer or skewer to hollow out the cream puffs for filling.
Fill each cream puff with the prepared pastry cream.
Tip: Aim for 40 to 50 grams of filling for each cream puff.
Serve the filled cream puffs.
Ingredients
Ingredient: Dairy
→ Substitution: Coconut Cream
Ingredient: Eggs
→ Substitution: Chia Egg
Ingredient: Gluten
→ Substitution: Gluten-Free Flour Blend
Nutrition
Skill Level
Frequently asked questions
Below you will find answers to the most common questions about this recipe.
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Interesting Tidbits
- •Choux pastry is a high-moisture dough that puffs up when baked due to steam.
- •Using bread flour in choux dough helps achieve a better structure and texture.
- •The crackling topping adds a unique texture and visual appeal to the choux pastry.
- •Pastry cream can be lightened with whipped cream to create a lighter filling known as crème légère.
