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Choux au Craquelin

These Choux au Craquelin are delicate cream puffs topped with a crisp, cookie-like craquelin layer and filled with a dreamy, homemade custard-cream. Light, airy, and irresistibly elegant, they’re perfect for special occasions or when you want to impress—no pastry shop required!
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Custard-Cream Filling:
  • 200 g Milk ¾ cup+1 tbsp
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 egg yolks room temperature
  • 30 g Sugar 2 ½ tbsp
  • 15 g Cornflour 1 ½ tbsp
  • 15 g Unsalted Butter (cold) 1 tbsp
  • 200 g Whipping cream chilled ¾ cup + 1 tbsp
  • 30 g Sugar(powdered) ¼ cup
Craquelin Topping:
  • 40 g Unsalted Butter (softened) ⅓ cup
  • 40 g Brown Sugar 3 tbsp
  • 40 g All-purpose flour 5 tbsp
Choux Pastry:
  • 110 g Water ½ cup
  • 45 g Unsalted Butter 3 tbsp + 1 tsp
  • a Pinch of salt
  • 10 g Sugar 2 tsp
  • 62 g All-purpose flour ½ cup
  • 2-3 Eggs room temperature, whisked lightly

Method
 

Custard-Cream Filling
  1. In a saucepan, heat milk with vanilla extract until it just begins to boil.
  2. In another bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornflour until smooth.
  3. Slowly pour the hot vanilla water into the egg mix in 2–3 parts, whisking constantly.
  4. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook on low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens.
  5. Off heat, add cold butter and stir until smooth.
  6. Transfer to a bowl, press cling film to the surface, and cool completely at room temperature.
  7. Whip chilled cream and powdered sugar to soft peaks.
  8. Add the cooled custard in 3–4 parts and beat until smooth and fluffy.
  9. Chill until ready to use.
Craquelin Topping
  1. Cream softened butter with brown sugar.
  2. Sift in flour, and mix to a dough.
  3. Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment to about 3mm thickness.
  4. Freeze for 20–30 minutes, then cut 2-inch discs. Freeze again until use.
Choux Pastry
  1. In a saucepan, bring water, butter, sugar, and a pinch of salt to a boil.
  2. Remove from heat and add sifted flour. Stir until a dough forms.
  3. Return to medium-low heat and stir for 1–2 minutes until a film forms on the bottom.
  4. Transfer to a bowl and beat for 1–2 minutes to release steam.
  5. Gradually add whisked eggs, mixing well between additions. The dough should drop in a V-shape from a spatula. (You may not require the whole of the whisked eggs.)
  6. Transfer dough to a piping bag with a large round tip.
Bake & Fill
  1. Pipe 2-inch mounds on a parchment-lined tray.
  2. Place a frozen craquelin disc on each mound.
  3. Bake at 170°C (338°F) for 15 minutes, then at 150°C (302°F) for another 15 minutes.
  4. Crack the oven door and let puffs sit inside for 15 minutes.
  5. Remove, cool, and poke holes in the base.
  6. Pipe in the custard-cream until filled.
  7. Dust with powdered sugar and serve!

Notes

Note: Read the post above for detailed storage and make ahead instructions.