Choux au Craquelin (Crispy Cream Puffs)
It has been so long since I made choux. The last time might've been when I was still living in Irvine, and filled them with vanilla ice cream that I got from Costco. So yums. My nephew's 1st birthday was coming up and I decided to make some choux for his party! Instead of ice cream, or the regular pastry cream, I decided to fill them with durian puree instead. Partly for convenience so I'd have lesser elements to prep, lol.
I prefer choux au craquelin over a regular choux - the craquelin melts into a crunchy cookie layer on top of the choux, which contributes to flavour, texture and it also looks a lot nicer than a "naked" choux!
Keen on learning how to make choux au craquelin? Read on! 👇
Look outs:
- It's best to keep the craquelin frozen for as long as possible before cutting them out (I found it worked better if frozen for at least a day, especially if you are in a warm place)
- Crack eggs and whisk in a bowl, measuring out the exact quantities before using.
- Once filled, the cream puffs are best eaten immediately. They keep well in the freezer and can be quickly reheated in the oven until they're crisp and warm, then filled and served!
Choux au craquelin is a classic French dessert of cream puffs with a crispy caramelized topping. Fill with your favourite filling!
- 90 g unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 100 g sugar (I used a mix of brown and white)
- 100 g all-purpose flour
- 115 g unsalted butter
- 10 g sugar
- Pinch salt
- 240 g water
- 135 g all-purpose flour
- 200 g eggs
With a stand mixer: mix butter, sugar and flour until it forms a dough (it will look like wet sand)
Place mixture in between parchment paper, flatten and roll out until you get a thin layer (doesn't have to be super precise, try to be as even as possible)
Place in freezer for at least a few hours, preferably overnight to ensure it is very cold.
In a small saucepan, add butter, sugar, salt and water. Heat on low-medium heat until butter melts and mixture is boiling.
Take saucepan off the heat, and add flour immediately. Using a wooden spatula, mix until a dough forms (it will look like mashed potatoes).
Return saucepan back to low-medium heat, continue heating for about 2-3 minutes while mixing continuously. The dough is ready once it starts pulling away from the sides of the pan, and when you see a layer of oil on the bottom of the pan.
Transfer dough to a stand mixing bowl, and let sit for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
Using a whisk attachment, start whisking the dough and stream in eggs slowly. Continue adding eggs and mix until combined.
Dough is ready when it looks glossy and shiny, but not too runny.
Crack eggs into a bowl, and whisk well to get the exact egg quantity needed (rather than using whole eggs).Transfer dough into a piping bag with a round piping tip.
Piping tip is optional.Line baking trays with parchment paper. Pipe the batter to ~4cm diameter, leaving at least 2-3cm space in between.
To pipe: hold the piping bag perpendicular and slightly above the baking sheet, apply pressure until the desired size, then release pressure and lift piping bag off.
Pipe the choux to the size of your cookie cutter size that you will be using to cut the craquelin. Mine is ~4cm in diamter. It's ok if there is a "tip" when lifting the bag off, since you will be adding the craquelin on top.Preheat oven to 190C.
Remove craquelin from the freezer, and use a round cookie cutter to cut circles.
Use the same cookie cutter size as the diameter of your piped choux. I use a ~4cm diameter cookie cutter.Place circular craquelin on each piped choux, pressing down slightly.
Bake in preheated oven for about 35 minutes until golden brown.
Once removed from oven, prick the back immediately with a knife to release steam.
Let choux pastry cool completely before filling. I typically leave them in the oven (turned off) with the door slightly ajar.