Choux au Craquelin

Before you start

Craquelin is a thin sheet of butter, brown sugar and flour laid over each mound of choux before baking. As the puff rises, the topping stretches and cracks into a crunchy, sugary shell. It does a useful job too: the weight of the disc holds the paste in check so it rises evenly into a sphere rather than splitting in odd places.

The topping is rolled thin, frozen and cut into rounds that match the piped puffs. Freezing keeps the discs from sticking and lets them drape neatly. Bake the puffs at a moderate 180°C (350°F) the whole way, since a very hot start can cause the craquelin to slide off before the paste sets. Fill the puffs with vanilla whipped cream through the base so the cracked tops stay intact.

Ingredients

• Craquelin60 g (4 tbsp) unsalted butter — softened
• 75 g (⅓ cup packed) light brown sugar
• 75 g (½ cup + 1 tbsp) all-purpose flour
• 1 pinch fine salt
• Choux100 ml (⅓ cup + 1 tbsp) water
• 100 ml (⅓ cup + 1 tbsp) whole milk
• 90 g (6 tbsp) unsalted butter
• ½ tsp fine salt
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 115 g (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) all-purpose flour
• about 190 g (4 large) eggs — beaten; add gradually
• Vanilla cream400 ml (1⅔ cups) heavy cream — cold
• 35 g (⅓ cup) powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
• 100 g (scant ½ cup) mascarpone — cold, optional, for a sturdier cream

Method

1. Mix the craquelin: mash the butter, brown sugar, flour and salt until it forms a smooth dough. Roll between two sheets of parchment to 2 mm (1/16 in) thick and freeze flat for at least 30 minutes.
2. Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line two baking sheets with parchment.
3. Make the choux: bring the water, milk, butter, salt and sugar to a boil, add the flour all at once and stir, then cook over low heat for 2 minutes until a thin film forms. Beat for a minute to cool, then add egg gradually until the paste is glossy and holds a V shape.
4. Pipe 4.5 cm (1¾ in) mounds, holding the bag straight up and keeping them about 2 cm high. Leave 5 cm between them. Press down any tips with a damp finger.
5. Peel the frozen craquelin and cut 18 discs with the cutter. Lay one disc flat on each mound; they will soften and settle within a minute.
6. Bake one sheet at a time for 30 to 35 minutes without opening the door for the first 25, until the puffs are tall, round and deep golden beneath the cracked topping. Make a small hole in the base of each and cool on a rack for 30 minutes.
7. Whip the cream, powdered sugar, vanilla and mascarpone (if using) to firm, smooth peaks. Fill a bag fitted with a small tip, push it into the hole in each puff and pipe until it feels full. Serve within a few hours.

Tips for success

• Match the disc to the puff. A disc that is too small leaves a bald ring around the bottom; too large and it slumps down the sides.
• Spare craquelin keeps frozen for a month. Cut discs straight from the freezer for the next batch.
• For colored tops, add a few drops of gel food coloring to the craquelin dough.

Substitutions

Light brown sugar

Granulated sugar gives a paler, crisper lid with less caramel flavor; dark brown sugar gives a darker, softer, more molasses-tasting crust.

Vanilla whipped cream

Fill with pastry cream or diplomat cream for a richer puff that keeps its texture a bit longer in the refrigerator.

Mascarpone

Leave it out for a lighter cream that holds well for about 2 hours after filling.

Variations

Matcha craquelin

Replace 5 g of the craquelin flour with matcha and fold 1 teaspoon matcha into the whipped cream.

Chocolate craquelin

Swap 10 g of the flour for cocoa powder and fill the puffs with chocolate pastry cream.

Troubleshooting

Craquelin slid off the puffs

The oven was too hot or the discs were warm and soft. Keep the discs frozen until the last moment and bake at a steady 180°C (350°F).

Puffs are lopsided

The mounds were piped at an angle or unevenly. Pipe straight down and stop squeezing before lifting the tip.

Topping looks pale and soft

The puffs came out early. Bake until the cracks show deep golden pastry and the shell sounds hollow when tapped.

Storage

Unfilled baked puffs keep airtight for 1 day at room temperature or frozen for up to 1 month; re-crisp at 180°C (350°F) for 5 minutes. Filled puffs must be refrigerated and are best within 6 hours.

Safety notes

Do not taste the unbaked choux or craquelin dough, which contain raw flour and egg. Keep cream-filled puffs refrigerated. Contains wheat, egg and milk.