Choux au Craquelin

Ingredients

Craquelin

55g softened unsalted butter
65g light brown sugar
65g all-purpose flour

Pâte à choux

120ml whole milk
120ml water
115g unsalted butter
1 tsp granulated sugar
½ tsp fine sea salt
130g all-purpose flour
4–5 large eggs, beaten (add only as needed)

Vanilla mascarpone cream

225g chilled mascarpone
300ml cold heavy cream
65g sugar
seeds of 1 vanilla bean (or 1½ tsp paste)

Salted caramel

200g granulated sugar
85g room-temperature unsalted butter
120ml room-temperature heavy cream
1 tsp flaky sea salt

Method

1. For craquelin, cream butter and brown sugar, mix in flour, roll between parchment to 2mm thick and freeze flat.
2. For caramel, melt sugar over medium heat to deep amber. Carefully whisk in cubed butter, then slowly whisk in cream (mixture bubbles vigorously). Cook while whisking one minute, remove from heat, stir in salt and cool until pipeable.
3. For choux, bring milk, water, butter, sugar and salt to a rolling boil. Remove from heat; stir in all flour. Return to medium heat and stir about 2 minutes until dough forms a smooth ball and thin film develops on pan.
4. Transfer dough to mixer with paddle and beat 2 minutes to release steam. Add beaten egg gradually until glossy dough forms a hanging V from paddle. Not all egg may be needed.
5. Heat oven to 400°F (200°C). Pipe 2-inch mounds on parchment, spaced 2 inches apart. Cut frozen craquelin discs to match mound diameter and place one on each.
6. Bake 20 minutes at 400°F without opening door. Reduce to 350°F (175°C) and bake 10–15 minutes more until deep golden. Pierce bottoms to release steam; cool on rack.
7. Whip cold mascarpone, cream, sugar and vanilla to stiff peaks; avoid overwhipping. Transfer to piping bag.
8. Slice off top third of each cooled puff. Pipe mascarpone cream into the hollow base. On each detached top, pipe a ring of cream and fill its center with thick salted caramel. Carefully replace decorated top and serve immediately.