Featured Recipe
Almond Praline Choux Pastries
By Kate
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Choux buns baked with a crunchy praline craquelin topping. Filled with an almond-hazelnut praline cream combining pastry cream, whipped cream, and nut butters. The craquelin dough has been adjusted to include ground almonds for extra aroma; sugar swapped for light brown sugar to deepen caramel notes. Smaller and larger choux piped with strategically placed craquelin disks for texture contrast. Focus on tactile and visual cues during baking – golden with slight crackling. Cooling in the oven with door ajar to dry and firm shells. Assembly includes layering chopped toasted almonds inside for crunch in every bite. Nut swap and timing tweaks for balanced nutty aroma and optimal shell integrity.
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Prep:
50 min
Cook:
30 min
Total:
Serves:
10 servings
choux
dessert
French pastry
praline
nuts
Introduction
Crunchy craquelin. Nutty praline cream whipped and folded. Choux dough piped in two sizes for visual interest and textural interplay. Watch color, listen for crackle as they bake, smell rising caramelized sugar and almonds. Choux must steam out fully to keep shape—not rushed. Easy to hole pipe but often forgotten: craquelin needs cold and thickness control, too thin and it melts away into choux, too thick and it chips off. Almonds add crunch inside and out, buttery aromas—consider replacing sugar with brown for caramel depth or swapping almonds for pistachios. Tested subtle time shifts for consistent shells. Cream cooling crucial for sheen and structure. Practical, technical but rewarding.
Ingredients
Craquelin
- 40 g flour (1/4 cup) all-purpose unbleached
- 45 g light brown sugar, loosely packed
- 40 g unsalted butter, softened
- 20 g ground almonds (1 1/2 tbsp)
- 60 g caster sugar
- 30 g cornstarch
- 3 egg yolks
- 240 ml whole milk
- 80 ml hazelnut butter, softened
- 150 ml heavy cream 35%
- 70 g toasted and chopped almonds
- 1 batch basic choux dough (roughly 125 g)
- 30 g sliced almonds (extra for garnish)
Almond Praline Cream
Choux Pastry
About the ingredients
Ground almonds in craquelin help it hold shape and give that subtle nutty fragrance under caramelized sugar. Light brown sugar is a better choice here for nuances over white—use turbinado or muscovado if available. Pastry cream gets a hazelnut butter upgrade; if unavailable, almond or even peanut butter works but note different oiliness and flavor intensities. Heavy cream fold maintains lightness, don’t overmix or risk losing volume. Choux dough needs a good oven temp so they puff before crust forms. Freeze craquelin before slicing so it’s firm and cuts cleanly. Toast almonds until golden but not burnt; burnt nuts ruin the whole flavor. Slice choux cool or cream leaks.
Method
Craquelin
- Start by cutting butter into flour, sugar, ground almonds. Work gently but fully until dough looks homogeneous, no visible lumps. Press between parchment sheets to 2.5 mm (approx 1/10 inch). Freeze solid, ideally 20 to 25 min, not longer than 30; too hard breaks easily.
- Use two cutters: one 4 cm ring for big craquelin disks, one 1.5 cm for small disks. Cut 10 large and 20 small disks. Keep frozen until ready to top choux—moisture is enemy here, so do not let warm.
- In a cold saucepan, whisk sugar and cornstarch dry. Add yolks, mix thoroughly until smooth, no grainy bits. Pour in milk, mix off heat before cooking, avoids lumps.
- Over medium heat, constant whisking. Watch closely; slow stir, scrape bottom and edges so cream thickens evenly, no scorching. Should coat back of spoon like a thick custard. Remove immediately, not boiling too hard or it curdles.
- Pour cream into bowl, press plastic wrap directly on surface to prevent skin. Room temp until just warm, then refrigerate minimum 1.5 hours, max 3.
- Later, soften cream with whisk to loosen. Fold in hazelnut butter until uniform. Whip heavy cream to firm peaks separately, but not overwhipped – just enough to hold shape.
- Gently fold cream into custard to keep lightness. Fold in 50 g toasted chopped almonds here for texture. Put aside in piping bag fitted with 1 cm star tip.
- Heat oven to 185°C (365°F). Line baking sheet with silicone mat or parchment paper.
- Pipe 10 large rounds of 4 cm diameter evenly spaced. Pipe 20 small 1 cm rounds aligning each side of large choux; these catch craquelin better and balance structure.
- Immediately top choux with craquelin disks—large on big, small on small. Press gently to adhere but avoid smushing dough shape.
- Bake for 28 to 30 minutes. Watch color closely; golden brown with tiny cracks visible on craquelin, firm shells when tapped. If unsure, open oven door slightly using wooden spoon handle for 5 minutes after baking to dry shells further, prevents collapse or sogginess.
- Cool fully on same tray before touching. Don’t rush, the internal steam keeps structure until cooled enough—handle too soon and shells crack or collapse.
- With serrated bread knife, slice choux horizontally—steady hand, slow saw to avoid squishing.
- Dust base with remaining 20 g chopped almonds, press lightly to stick.
- Fill generously with almond praline cream. Top with more chopped almonds. Replace crown rung gently—no force.
- Store refrigerated if holding, best eaten same day for optimal crackle and cream freshness.
- Let sit 15 minutes room temp before serving to unlock nut aroma and soften the cream slightly.
Almond Praline Cream
Choux Pastry
Assembly
Technique Tips
Craquelin mixing must be quick—overworking melts butter. Thickness control: 2.5 mm is thinner than usual which keeps disk crisp but won’t overpower pastry. Freeze before cutting to avoid smearing dough or sticky mess. Cook custard low and slow to avoid grainy lumps; skin on surface means wrap tight. Choux piping: pipe slow steady pressure to avoid irregular shapes, smaller dough drops next to big protect structure and catch small craquelin pieces. Oven heat steady at 185°C helps even rise and browning without drying too fast. Leave door ajar post-bake to reduce interior moisture, that’s what kills crisp shells fast. Filling must be cool, whipped cream stabilizes butter and pastry cream—otherwise mixture turns loose and greasy. Use sharp serrated knife for clean cut—avoid tearing fragile shells.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Keep craquelin dough cold; warm dough loses shape. Roll out fast between parchment sheets. Freeze; firm dough cuts clean. Too thick? It breaks. Too thin? It vanishes.
- 💡 Watch the oven. Golden brown and slight crackling are key. Open door for last few minutes if unsure. Helps dry out shells. Avoid sogginess; moisture ruins texture.
- 💡 Use fresh ground almonds; aroma fades quickly. Light brown sugar adds depth but swaps fine. Turbinado in a pinch. Experiment. Hazelnut butter? Almond butter works.
- 💡 Filling critical; chill custard thoroughly or cream turns loose. Whipped cream stabilizes mixture. Fold gently, maintain lightness. Watch, overmixing collapses layers.
- 💡 Clean slicing: serrated knife; slow back-and-forth motion. Avoid squishing fragile shells. Dust with nuts inside for crunch; balance flavors. Biting into soft cream? Bliss.
