Choux au Craquelin (Cream Puffs) with Passionfruit Cream

PASSIONFRUIT CREAM

1. Create a 'double boiler' by placing a medium pot of water over a medium heat, and bringing to a simmer. Place a heatproof glass or stainless steel bowl over the pot, making sure that the bowl does NOT touch the water.
2. Combine the passionfruit juice, lemon juice, egg yolks, eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla bean paste in the heatproof bowl, whisking together immediately to stop the sugar from cooking the egg yolks.
3. Cook the mixture, whisking constantly, until it reaches 180°f / 80°c. This may take some time (approx 15 minutes). Be patient, and make sure you do bring it right up to the required temperature.
4. Remove the bowl from the heat, and set aside, whisking occasionally, until the mixture is 140°f / 60°c. Strain through a sieve into a clean mixing bowl. Add the butter, a chunk at a time, blending well with an immersion blender until completely combined before adding the next chunk. Alternatively you can do this in a blender. The cream should be pale and thick by the time you are finished.
5. Transfer to an airtight container, press a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface of the cream, and cover. Refrigerate overnight, or until ready to use.

CRAQUELIN

1. Place all ingredients in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium until combined. Turn out the dough onto a large piece of parchment paper, and top with a second piece. Roll out to 1-2mm in thickness. Place the dough, still between the parchment sheets, in the freezer for an hour, or until ready to use (Can be made ahead).

CHOUX AU CRAQUELIN

1. Preheat the oven to 400˚f / 200˚c. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a cookie cutter, trace 1 ¾” circles on each baking sheet using a pen or a pencil, leaving some room for spreading (about 2” between each), then flip over the baking sheet so that the side with the drawing is facing downward.
2. Fit a large piping bag with a large round piping tip.
3. In a medium pot, combine the milk, water, butter, salt, vanilla bean paste, and sugar. Place over medium heat, and stir until the butter has melted and the mixture has begun to boil. Remove from the heat, and add the flour all at once, mixing quickly with a wooden spoon to combine. The mixture will form a thick paste.
4. Return to the heat, and, stirring constantly, cook the mixture for 2 minutes to help dry it out. Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed for 1 minute to help cool down the mixture.
5. With the mixture running on low, slowly stream in the 240g egg. Mix on medium speed for 4 minutes, or until the egg is fully incorporated. Test the consistency of the batter by dipping in the beater and pulling up. If it forms a v which eventually breaks off, you are good to go. If it seems too stiff, slowly add another beaten egg and mix to incorporate.
6. Transfer the choux pastry to the prepared piping bag. Using your traced circle as a guide, pipe mounds onto the baking sheet, ending each with a little flick of your wrist. If the choux has left a point, you can flatten down with a wet fingertip. Repeat with the second tray - you should end up with about 24 mounds.
7. Remove the craquelin from the freezer, and peel off the top piece of parchment. Using the same sized cutter you used to trace the circles on the parchment paper, cut out circles of dough. Place each carefully on top of a mound of choux, pressing lightly to adhere. If you are baking one tray of these at a time, ensure that you only put the craquelin on one tray worth at a time - put the craquelin on the second tray just before you bake them.
8. Bake the cream puffs for 15 min at 400˚f / 200˚c, then turn down the oven to 350˚f / 180˚c, and bake for a further 20 minutes, until the puffs are deeply golden. Remove from the oven and poke a small vent in the side of each using a paring knife or chopstick, to help the steam escape. Place on a cooling rack to cool completely. If baking in two batches, return the oven to 400˚f / 200˚c, and repeat the baking process with the remaining buns.

PASSIONFRUIT WHIPPED CREAM

1. Place the heavy cream and vanilla bean paste in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix on medium speed until stiff peaks form, then fold in the passionfruit cream. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with an open star tip - I used an Ateco #827.

ASSEMBLY

1. Transfer the remainder of the passionfruit cream to a piping bag fitted with a round tip.
2. Using a sharp bread knife, cut the tops off the cream puffs, about three quarters of the way up.
3. Pipe passionfruit cream into about the bottom third of the cream puff, then top with a swirl of the passionfruit whipped cream. Top with the choux lid you cut off earlier.
4. Finish with gold leaf if desired. Chill until ready to serve. Store remainders in the fridge - I like to keep them loosely tented with plastic wrap rather than in an airtight container to stop them from going soggy.