Choux au Craquelin
Are you looking for a fun way to level up your cream puffs? How about adding a craquelin topping? It is simple to make and is such a pretty effect.
Servings: 20 choux au craquelin
Equipment
- 2- baking sheets, piping bag, 1.5-inch biscuit cutter.
Ingredients
Craquelin
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup softened butter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
Pate a choux (cream puff)
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup water
- 6 ounces butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 eggs
Stabilized Raspberry Cream
- 2 teaspoons gelatin
- 3 tablespoon water
- 2 cups heavy cream Make sure it stays good and chilled until you are ready to use it.
- 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ⅓ cup crushed freeze-dried raspberries plus more for sprinkling on finished puffs
Lemon Curd
- 1 Recipe lemon curd
Instructions
Craquelin Topping
- Blend the butter and brown sugar. Add in flour and mix until blended. Place the craquelin on a piece of parchment. Place another piece of parchment on top. Roll the craquelin between the 2 layers until it is thin, a rectangle shape, about 8inchesx12 inches. Slide it onto a sheet pan and place it in the freezer. Remove and pull back the top parchment once it has frozen for about 10 minutes. Cut the craquelin into a 1.5-inch circle. Move it back to the freezer and leave it until the cream puffs are ready.
Pate a choux
- Heat oven to 400 degrees while you are making the dough.Line the baking sheet with parchment paper. Add water, milk, butter, salt, and sugar in a medium-sized pan and heat until is just under a bowl and the butter is melted. Remove from heat and stir in the flour. Once mixed in, return to medium heat and stir continuously for about 3-4 minutes. Pull from heat and add it to your stand mixer bowl or a bowl for mixing in. Let it cool for about 5 minutes. Then with the mixer turned on (stand or hand), add one egg at a time. Make sure and mix completely between each addition. Once you have added in the last egg, and it is mixed well, it is time to pipe. On the baking sheet, with about 3 inches between each one, pipe your cream puffs. You can see in the photos about what they should look like. Pipe them about 1.5 inches wide and about 1.5-2 inches tall. Then remove your craquelin topping from the freezer and add one to the top of each cream puff. When they are finished, move to the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 and bake for another 20 minutes. When they have finished baking, remove from the oven and allow them to cool for filling.
Stabilized Raspberry Whipping Cream
- Place the water in a small, microwave-safe bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over the top and allow to sit for about 2-3 minutes. Place in the microwave for about 5-10 seconds. You want to heat the gelatin, but not get it too hot. You just want to dissolve the gelatin slightly, but not get it too warm.Add the chilled heavy cream to a medium-sized bowl and beat on high for about 1 minute. I like to use a hand or stand mixer, but this can also be done by hand for a good arm workout. Then add in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and freeze-dried raspberries. Blend again on high until it forms soft peaks. At the same time you're beating it, pour in the gelatin. Continue mixing on high until it forms stiff peaks. Remember to not overmix it, it will curdle if you do.
Putting it all together
- Carefully cut each choux in half. If you are using it, spoon about 1-2 tablespoons of lemon curd into the bottom of the choux. The pipe in the stabilized cream.Continue this process until you have filled all the puffs. They are delicious eaten immediately and are best this way.You can also store them in the fridge and they are good for up to 24 hours. Now, sit back and enjoy. You deserve it!