Vanilla and Caramel Choux
Vanilla and Caramel Choux
Ingredients
For the Craquelin Topping
- 110 g flour
- 110 g white sugar
- 80 g cold butter
For the Choux Pastry
- 150 g milk
- 150 g water
- 120 g butter
- 20 g white sugar
- 7 g salt
- 180 g all-purpose flour
- 180–200 g eggs
For the Vanilla Diplomat Cream
- 500 g milk
- 100 g egg yolks
- 80 g sugar
- 50 g cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract or vanilla paste
- 200 g heavy cream
For the Caramel Coating
- 200 g white sugar, with a little water
Instructions
- 1
To prepare the Vanilla Diplomat Cream: In a saucepan, bring 500 g milk to a boil. In a separate bowl, whisk 100 g egg yolks, 80 g sugar, 50 g cornstarch, and 2 tablespoons vanilla extract or vanilla paste until well combined.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Pour the hot milk over the yolk mixture, whisk well to temper, then return the entire mixture to the saucepan. Cook over low–medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk, until the cream thickens.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
Transfer the pastry cream to a clean bowl, cover the surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming, and chill for at least 2 hours.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
While the pastry cream chills, prepare the Craquelin Topping: In a stand mixer bowl, combine 110 g flour, 110 g white sugar, and 80 g cold butter. Mix with a paddle attachment until a crumbly dough forms.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Transfer the craquelin dough onto a work surface. Place it between two sheets of parchment paper or clear plastic film and roll it very thin. Using a round cutter, cut discs from the rolled dough and freeze them until use.
⏱️ 10 min
- 6
To prepare the Choux Pastry: Preheat your oven to 170°C (340°F). In a saucepan, bring 150 g milk, 150 g water, 120 g butter, 20 g white sugar, and 7 g salt to a boil.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 340
- 7
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add 180 g all-purpose flour at once to the hot liquid. Mix thoroughly with a spatula until the dough pulls away from the sides of the saucepan and forms a cohesive ball.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Return the saucepan to low heat and cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously, to dry out the dough.
⏱️ 2 min
- 9
Transfer the choux dough to a stand mixer bowl. Allow the dough to cool slightly. With the paddle attachment running, add 180–200 g eggs gradually to the dough, mixing until a smooth choux dough forms.
⏱️ 10 min
- 10
Transfer the choux dough to a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe 3 cm rounds of choux dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place one frozen craquelin disc on top of each piped choux round.
⏱️ 10 min
- 11
Bake at 170°C (340°F) for 35 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed.
⏱️ 35 min•🌡️ 340
- 12
Once the pastry cream is thoroughly chilled, in a separate bowl, whip 200 g heavy cream to soft peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cold pastry cream until fully combined, creating the diplomat cream. Transfer the diplomat cream to a piping bag.
⏱️ 5 min
- 13
For the Caramel Coating: In a clean saucepan, cook 200 g white sugar with a little water over medium heat without stirring. Continue cooking until the sugar and water mixture transforms into an amber caramel.
⏱️ 10 min
- 14
To assemble: Take a baked choux puff. Using the piping bag, pierce the bottom or side of the choux puff and fill it generously with the vanilla diplomat cream.
⏱️ 5 min
- 15
Carefully dip the top of each filled choux puff into the amber caramel, allowing any excess caramel to drip off. Place the caramel-coated choux puffs on parchment paper and let the caramel set before serving.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Vanilla and Caramel Choux
For the Craquelin Topping
- 110 g flour
- 110 g white sugar
- 80 g cold butter
For the Choux Pastry
- 150 g milk
- 150 g water
- 120 g butter
- 20 g white sugar
- 7 g salt
- 180 g all-purpose flour
- 180–200 g eggs
For the Vanilla Diplomat Cream
- 500 g milk
- 100 g egg yolks
- 80 g sugar
- 50 g cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract or vanilla paste
- 200 g heavy cream
For the Caramel Coating
- 200 g white sugar, with a little water
Instructions
- 1
To prepare the Vanilla Diplomat Cream: In a saucepan, bring 500 g milk to a boil. In a separate bowl, whisk 100 g egg yolks, 80 g sugar, 50 g cornstarch, and 2 tablespoons vanilla extract or vanilla paste until well combined.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Pour the hot milk over the yolk mixture, whisk well to temper, then return the entire mixture to the saucepan. Cook over low–medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk, until the cream thickens.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
Transfer the pastry cream to a clean bowl, cover the surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming, and chill for at least 2 hours.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
While the pastry cream chills, prepare the Craquelin Topping: In a stand mixer bowl, combine 110 g flour, 110 g white sugar, and 80 g cold butter. Mix with a paddle attachment until a crumbly dough forms.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Transfer the craquelin dough onto a work surface. Place it between two sheets of parchment paper or clear plastic film and roll it very thin. Using a round cutter, cut discs from the rolled dough and freeze them until use.
⏱️ 10 min - 6
To prepare the Choux Pastry: Preheat your oven to 170°C (340°F). In a saucepan, bring 150 g milk, 150 g water, 120 g butter, 20 g white sugar, and 7 g salt to a boil.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 340 - 7
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add 180 g all-purpose flour at once to the hot liquid. Mix thoroughly with a spatula until the dough pulls away from the sides of the saucepan and forms a cohesive ball.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Return the saucepan to low heat and cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously, to dry out the dough.
⏱️ 2 min - 9
Transfer the choux dough to a stand mixer bowl. Allow the dough to cool slightly. With the paddle attachment running, add 180–200 g eggs gradually to the dough, mixing until a smooth choux dough forms.
⏱️ 10 min - 10
Transfer the choux dough to a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe 3 cm rounds of choux dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place one frozen craquelin disc on top of each piped choux round.
⏱️ 10 min - 11
Bake at 170°C (340°F) for 35 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed.
⏱️ 35 min•🌡️ 340 - 12
Once the pastry cream is thoroughly chilled, in a separate bowl, whip 200 g heavy cream to soft peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cold pastry cream until fully combined, creating the diplomat cream. Transfer the diplomat cream to a piping bag.
⏱️ 5 min - 13
For the Caramel Coating: In a clean saucepan, cook 200 g white sugar with a little water over medium heat without stirring. Continue cooking until the sugar and water mixture transforms into an amber caramel.
⏱️ 10 min - 14
To assemble: Take a baked choux puff. Using the piping bag, pierce the bottom or side of the choux puff and fill it generously with the vanilla diplomat cream.
⏱️ 5 min - 15
Carefully dip the top of each filled choux puff into the amber caramel, allowing any excess caramel to drip off. Place the caramel-coated choux puffs on parchment paper and let the caramel set before serving.
⏱️ 5 min