Cream Puffs with Crunchy Craquelin and Vanilla Chantilly

Ingredients

• 100 g Brown sugar (cassonade) (for craquelin dough)
• 100 g Unsalted butter (softened) (for craquelin dough)
• 150 g All‑purpose flour (for craquelin dough)
• 250 ml Water (for choux pastry)
• 50 g Granulated sugar (for choux pastry)
• 50 g Unsalted butter (cut into small dice) (for choux pastry)
• 150 g All‑purpose flour (for choux pastry)
• 4 Large eggs (room temperature)
• 250 g Mascarpone cheese (softened)
• 200 ml Heavy cream (very cold) (for chantilly)
• 1 Vanilla bean (Bourbon) (seeds only)
• 40 g Powdered sugar (icing sugar) (30 g for chantilly, 10 g for dusting)
• 1 pinch Salt

Instructions

1. Prepare the craquelin dough

   In a mixing bowl combine the brown sugar and softened butter. Cream together with a spatula until smooth and creamy. Add the flour and mix until a homogeneous dough forms.

   Time: PT10M

2. Shape and chill the craquelin

   Form the dough into a ball, place it between two sheets of parchment paper, and roll to a thickness of about 3–4 mm. Cut a slab, wrap tightly, and place in the freezer for 15 minutes.

   Time: PT15M

3. Make the choux pastry (pâte à choux)

   In a saucepan combine water, granulated sugar, a pinch of salt, and the butter pieces. Heat over medium, stirring, until the butter melts and the mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat, add all the flour at once, and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the dough pulls away from the sides and forms a smooth ball.

   Time: PT8M

4. Dry the choux dough

   Return the saucepan to low heat for another 30‑45 seconds, stirring constantly, to dry the dough slightly. Then remove from heat and transfer the dough to a clean bowl to cool for about 5 minutes.

   Time: PT2M

5. Incorporate the eggs

   Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until the batter becomes smooth, shiny, and thick enough to hold its shape when lifted with a spoon.

   Time: PT5M

6. Pipe the choux puffs

   Fit a piping bag with a plain 1 cm nozzle, fill with the choux batter, and pipe 6–7 cm long strips onto a parchment‑lined baking sheet, spacing them about 4 cm apart.

   Time: PT5M

7. Cut and place craquelin discs

   Remove the chilled craquelin slab from the freezer, cut 5 cm circles with the round cutter, and gently press each disc onto the top of a piped choux puff.

   Time: PT5M

8. Bake the choux

   Pre‑heat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F). Bake the tray for 30–35 minutes, keeping the door closed the whole time. The choux should be puffed, lightly golden, and sound hollow when tapped.

   Time: PT35M

   Temperature: 180°C

9. Cool the choux completely

   Transfer the baked choux to a cooling rack and let them cool to room temperature (about 20 minutes) before filling.

   Time: PT20M

10. Prepare vanilla chantilly

    In a clean bowl, soften the mascarpone with a whisk, then add the very cold heavy cream and the vanilla bean seeds. Beat with a hand mixer on medium‑high speed until soft peaks form. Add the powdered sugar and continue beating until the chantilly is firm and glossy.

    Time: PT10M

11. Trim and fill the choux

    Using a sharp knife, slice off the tops of each cooled choux puff. Transfer the chantilly to a piping bag fitted with a star tip, pipe a generous amount into the cavity, and replace the trimmed top.

    Time: PT10M

12. Finish and serve

    Dust the filled choux lightly with the remaining powdered sugar. Serve immediately or keep refrigerated until serving.

    Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

250

Protein

5 g

Carbohydrates

30 g

Fat

12 g

Fiber

1 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Brown sugar (cassonade): light brown sugar
• Instead of Unsalted butter (softened): margarine (for flavor change)
• Instead of All‑purpose flour: cake flour (will be lighter)
• Instead of Granulated sugar: caster sugar
• Instead of Unsalted butter (cut into small dice): vegetable oil (will affect texture)
• Instead of All‑purpose flour: bread flour (makes dough a bit tougher)
• Instead of Large eggs: egg replacer (will change texture)
• Instead of Mascarpone cheese: cream cheese (less rich)
• Instead of Heavy cream (very cold): whipping cream
• Instead of Vanilla bean (Bourbon): 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• Instead of Powdered sugar (icing sugar): confectioners’ sugar

Equipment Needed

• Mixing bowl
• Hand mixer or stand mixer
• Saucepan (medium)
• Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
• Piping bag
• Plain nozzle (round, ~1 cm)
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Rolling pin
• Round cutter (5 cm)
• Oven
• Cooling rack
• Sharp knife
• Measuring cups & spoons

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Creaming butter and brown sugar until fully smooth for the craquelin.
• Cooking the choux dough until it pulls away from the pan and becomes glossy.
• Adding eggs one at a time to achieve a smooth, shiny batter.
• Baking without opening the oven door to allow the puffs to rise properly.
• Cooling the baked choux completely before filling to prevent melting the chantilly.

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use ice‑cold water for the choux batter; it helps create steam for a higher rise.
• Pipe the choux on parchment paper to avoid sticking and to make transfer to the oven easier.
• For an extra vanilla punch, split the vanilla bean and scrape both seeds and the pod into the cream, then remove the pod before beating.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store filled choux in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Freezer: Unfilled baked choux can be frozen in a single layer, then transferred to a zip‑lock bag; lasts up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature and re‑fill.

Room temperature: Do not store assembled choux at room temperature for more than 2 hours; the cream may spoil.

Make-Ahead Tips

• The craquelin dough can be prepared up to 2 days ahead and kept frozen.
• Baked choux can be made a day before, stored in an airtight container, and filled just before serving.
• Chantilly can be whipped up 4‑6 hours ahead; keep chilled and give a quick whisk before piping.