Salted Caramel Choux au Craquelin

⏱ 150 min · Serves 8

Crisp cracked-sugar shells hiding clouds of salted caramel crème diplomate, finished with a glossy caramel drizzle and a whisper of flaky sea salt. A proper patisserie project that looks like it came from a Paris window.

Per serving: 615 kcal · 9.5g protein · 55.0g carbs · 40.0g fat

Ingredients

• For the craquelin: 60g unsalted butter, softened
• 70g light brown sugar
• 70g plain flour
• For the salted caramel: 150g caster sugar
• 60ml water
• 120ml double cream, warmed
• 40g unsalted butter
• 1 tsp flaky sea salt
• For the choux: 125ml water
• 125ml whole milk
• 110g unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 140g plain flour, sifted
• 4 medium eggs, beaten (plus extra if needed)
• For the crème diplomate: 400ml whole milk
• 1 vanilla pod, split (or 2 tsp vanilla paste)
• 4 egg yolks
• 80g caster sugar
• 35g cornflour
• 200ml double cream, whipped to soft peaks

Method

1. Make the craquelin: beat butter and brown sugar until smooth, work in the flour to a paste. Roll between two sheets of baking paper to 2mm and freeze flat for at least 30 minutes.
2. Make the caramel: heat sugar and water without stirring until deep amber. Off the heat, carefully whisk in the warm cream, then the butter and sea salt. Cool completely — you'll use half in the cream, half for drizzling.
3. Make the pastry cream: heat milk with vanilla. Whisk yolks, sugar and cornflour, pour on the hot milk, return to the pan and cook, whisking, until thick and glossy. Whisk in half the salted caramel, scrape into a tray, cover with cling film on the surface and chill.
4. Choux: bring water, milk, butter, sugar and salt to a rolling boil. Off heat, beat in the flour all at once, then dry the paste over medium heat for 1–2 minutes until it films the pan.
5. Transfer to a bowl, cool 5 minutes, then beat in the eggs a little at a time until the paste falls from the spoon in a slow V ribbon.
6. Pipe 16 mounds about 5cm wide onto lined trays. Cut 5cm discs from the frozen craquelin and lay one on each bun.
7. Bake at 190C/170C fan for 25 minutes, then drop to 170C/150C fan for 15–20 minutes until deep golden and hollow-sounding. Pierce the bases and cool completely on a rack.
8. Fold the whipped cream into the chilled caramel pastry cream in three additions until light. Load into a piping bag with a small nozzle.
9. Fill each bun generously through the base hole until it feels heavy. Chill 20 minutes.
10. Serve two per person, drizzled with the remaining salted caramel and a pinch of flaky salt.