CREAM PUFF "CRACK BUNS" (CHOUX AU CRAQUELIN)
These gorgeous cream puff "crack buns" were inspired by the Great British Baking Show, which is currently my favorite thing on television. Speaking of favorite things, Boston cream pie is one of my all-time favorite desserts, and this was basically an individually portioned, probably superior version of that. These would be great filled with all kinds of things, but it's hard to beat vanilla bean pastry cream (see footnote).
Provided by Chef John
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Belgian
Time 2h20m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Mix butter, brown sugar, flour, and salt together in a large bowl using a spatula. Place dough between two sheets of waxed paper or inside a zip-top bag. Press or roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Trim off the edges slightly to get a rectangular shape, if desired. Freeze crust until ready to use.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat.
- Combine water, butter, and salt in a saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add flour; stir with a wooden spoon until mixture comes together into a smooth dough and pulls away cleanly from the bottom of the pan. Transfer to a bowl and spread out with a whisk to speed up cooling. Cool until warm, about 10 minutes.
- Whisk eggs, one at a time, into the pastry, mixing well after each addition. Finish mixing with a spatula. Scoop pastry into a pastry bag and pipe into 6 to 8 buns on the baking sheet. Smooth out tops with a wet finger.
- Use a cookie cutter to cut crust into circles about the diameter of the buns. Lightly push crusts onto the buns, just enough to secure them.
- Place buns in the preheated oven. Immediately reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and bake until browned and fully puffed, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer buns onto a cooling rack and place rack back on the baking sheet. Place in the turned-off oven, leave door partially open, and let cool completely, at least 20 minutes.
- Melt chocolate in a microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl in 15-second intervals, stirring after each interval, 1 to 3 minutes.
- Spread a few teaspoons of melted chocolate onto the bottom of each bun. Gently press each chocolate base back on the baking sheet to spread it evenly. Let chocolate harden, about 1 hour.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 257.3 calories, Carbohydrate 25.6 g, Cholesterol 73.9 mg, Fat 16 g, Fiber 1.3 g, Protein 3.9 g, SaturatedFat 7.5 g, Sodium 91.2 mg, Sugar 13.5 g
CHOUX BUNS WITH COFFEE AND DRAMBUIE MOUSSE
Steps:
- Choux Buns 1. Combine milk, butter, salt & sugar in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Bring to a boil, then remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the flour all at once w/ a wooden spoon until smooth. 2. Return pan to medium heat about 1 minute, stirring constantly, to dry out the paste. Tip it into a bowl. 3. Add the eggs 1 by 1, beating w/ the wooden spoon until each egg is fully beaten in. Once they are all incorporated into the mixture, it should be smooth and shiny, & thick enough to pipe. The choux paste is now ready to use. (If you are not using it immediately, brush the surface with egg wash to prevent a crust forming.) 4. Pipe small mounds , about 2 teaspoons each, onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in staggered rows, using a pastry bag fitted with a half-inch round tip. 5. Brush the buns with egg wash. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until dry and crisp, but soft inside. Cool on a wire rack. Coffee Mousse and Assembly 1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Whip the cream in a chilled bowl with the sugar to stiff peaks and fold into the chilled crème pâtissière. Dissolve the coffee in the Drambuie and fold into the mixture. 2. Make a small opening in the side of each bun with the tip of a knife or skewer. Using a pastry bag fitted with a plain eighth-inch tip, pipe a generous amount of coffee mousse into each bun. 3. To serve, dust half the filled buns with a little powdered sugar and the rest with cocoa. Arrange on individual plates or a platter. Each of 46 buns: 74 calories; 2 grams protein; 7 grams carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 4 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 59 mg. cholesterol; 40 mg. sodium.
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