INGREDIENTS:

Choux Pastry

• 200mL water
• 200mL milk
• 200g unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 5g sea salt
• 5g caster sugar
• 250g plain flour
• 400g eggs, lightly beaten (apprx. 7 eggs)

Craquelin

• 50g unsalted butter, softened
• 50g plain flour
• Pink and Yellow Gel Food Colouring
• 50g white sugar

Pastry cream

• 4 egg yolks
• 30g caster sugar
• 30g cornflour
• 500mL milk
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Pastry cream flavours

• 120g dark chocolate
• 1 tsp plum freeze dried powder
• 120g white chocolate
• 1 tsp passionfruit freeze dried powder

Small choux filling

• 300mL single cream, whipped
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp mango freeze dried powder

Decoration

• White and dark chocolate shards
• Luster dust
• Small chocolate flower

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Craquelin

1. Combine butter, sugar and flour in your stand mixer until it comes together.
2. Split mixture in half and add colour to each. Be generous and mix well.
3. Roll out each mixture between two layers of parchment paper to 2mm thick.
4. Place in freezer until frozen.

Choux

1. Combine water, milk, butter, salt and sugar in a saucepan. Place over a medium heat until you have a rolling boil.
2. Remove from heat and add flour all at once. Stir until it forms a mass.
3. Return to heat and continue to stir for 2-3 minutes to dry out the mixture.
4. Transfer mixture to bowl of your stand mixer and mix on low speed for a few minutes to cool the mixture.
5. Add eggs 100g at a time.
6. Increase speed to medium for 2 minutes
7. Put the mixture into a piping bag and pipe onto parchment lined tray.
8. Remove your frozen craquelin from the freezer and cut out rounds, placing them on top of choux.
9. Bake at 180°C for 25 minutes, then open the oven and prick choux to dry out for a further 15 minutes.

Pastry cream

1. Place egg yolks and caster sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk. Add cornflour and mix together.
2. Pour milk into saucepan with vanilla, and heat on low until boiling point.
3. Pour half the hot milk over your egg yolk mixture while stirring, then pour back into the pot. Keep stirring over heat until thickened.
4. Chop chocolate into small pieces and stir through the pastry cream.
5. Add flavoured powders to taste.

Decorating

1. Cut top off your Choux au Craquelin and fill with pastry cream. Replace the top like a lid.
2. Top with chocolate shards and a chocolate flower. Sprinkle with luster dust.