Praline Cream Puffs (Choux à la Crème)

Craquelin

• Mix all the ingredients together until a dough ball forms.
• Roll the dough out very thinly (2mm) between two sheets of parchment paper.
• Cut out 2.5cm circles using a cookie cutter and place them in the freezer while you make the choux pastry.

Choux Pastry

• Preheat your oven to 250°C (480°F) using conventional/static heat.
• Crack and beat the eggs, measuring out exactly 125g into a bowl.
• In a saucepan, combine the water, salt, sugar, and butter. Heat over low heat until the butter is just melted (do not let it boil).
• Remove from heat: Add the flour all at once and stir vigorously with a spatula.
• Once there are no lumps left, return to low-medium heat and “dry out” (dessécher) the dough for 2 to 4 minutes using a wooden spoon or spatula. (Drying out means stirring the dough vigorously and continuously over medium heat so the water evaporates, causing the dough to pull completely away from the sides and bottom of the pan).
• Gradually incorporate the beaten eggs one by one, working the dough thoroughly after each addition. Ensure the egg is completely integrated before adding the next portion.
• Using a pastry bag, pipe small mounds onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Place the frozen craquelin discs directly on top of each choux mound.

Baking

• Turn off the oven and place the baking sheet inside for 10 minutes.
• After 10 minutes, turn the oven back on to 160°C (320°F) using conventional heat and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on your oven. (Do not overbake: the inside should remain soft and tender).
• Once baked, transfer the choux buns to a wire rack to cool completely.

Peanut Praline

• Spread the peanuts across a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (Note: The original text mentions adding almonds here, but they are not listed in the ingredients—feel free to stick to peanuts!).
• Toast in a preheated oven at 150°C (300°F) for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make a dry caramel by melting the sugar on its own in a suitable pan until it reaches a rich golden hue.
• Once the caramel is ready, add the toasted peanut chunks and stir well to coat them thoroughly.
• Transfer the mixture onto parchment paper, spread it out, and let it cool completely.
• Once cold and hardened, break it into pieces and place it in a food processor. Blend until you get a smooth, creamy paste (the time depends on your processor’s power), then stir in the fleur de sel.
• Storage note: The praline can be stored in a jar in the fridge for several weeks. To reuse it later, just bring it back to temperature or give it a quick blend, so don’t hesitate to make extra!

Praline Pastry Cream

Making the Classic Pastry Cream:

• Place a shallow dish in the fridge beforehand to cool the pastry cream quickly later.
• In a saucepan, heat the milk (with the optional vanilla or rum) without bringing it to a boil.
• Meanwhile, whisk (blanchir) the egg yolks and sugar together until slightly pale, then whisk in the cornstarch.
• Pour 1/3 of the warm milk over the egg mixture and whisk quickly to temper it.
• Immediately pour everything back into the saucepan with the remaining warm milk.
• Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat while whisking constantly. The pastry cream is perfectly cooked when, after a few minutes, it thins out slightly and becomes smooth.
• Remove from heat and continue stirring gently for about 30 seconds to let it cool slightly.

Transforming into Praline Pastry Cream:

• Once the cream has cooled just a tiny bit, add the butter and let it melt. Add the 100g of homemade praline paste and stir vigorously until you get a beautiful, shiny, smooth, and creamy praline pastry cream.
• Pour the cream into the chilled dish from the fridge. Spread it out thinly across the surface to force rapid cooling.
• Cover with plastic wrap directly touching the surface (filmer au contact to prevent a skin from forming) and refrigerate until completely cold.

Assembly

• Once all components are completely cooled and at the right temperature, you can begin assembly.
• Use a small pastry tip to poke a small hole in the bottom of each choux bun.
• Fill a pastry bag with the praline pastry cream.
• Fill another pastry bag with pure praline paste (optional).

Generously fill the choux buns with the praline pastry cream, and optionally pipe a small pocket of pure praline inside.

Pro tip: Ideally, keep the choux buns at room temperature and fill them at the last minute. Storing filled choux buns in the fridge makes the pastry soft and humid.