Choux au Craquelin (Cream Puffs with Streusel Topping)
Step into the kitchen and discover the art of making Choux au Craquelin. This recipe takes the beloved cream puff to the next level with a crunchy, sweet streusel topping – a must-try for dessert enthusiasts!
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe
Equipment
- Stand mixer
Ingredients
Chocolate Choux Pastry:
- ¼ cup water 60 ml
- ¼ cup milk 60 ml
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter 1½ oz or ~45 g
- 2¼ oz all-purpose flour ~63 g
- ¼ oz cocoa powder ~7g
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1¼ tsp sugar 5g
- 2 medium eggs ~95g after cracking
Streusel Topping:
- 2 oz unsalted butter 4 tbsp or 61g
- 2 oz all-purpose flour 1/2 cup or 61g
- 2 oz light brown sugar 1/4 cup or 61g
Whipped Cream (double if you want to be generous):
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream chilled, 480g
- 2 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding double that if you want it super thick
- 4 tablespoons powdered sugar add more if desired
Instructions
Streusel:
- Soften Butter: Cut the butter into cubes and let it soften at room temperature for about an hour.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine sugar and flour.
- Add Butter: Incorporate the softened butter using a fork or mixer until evenly mixed.
- Roll Out Dough: Between parchment papers, roll dough to a thickness of 2-3mm. Peel and replace paper as needed for easier rolling.
- Refrigerate: Refrigerate the rolled dough (still between sheets) for about 30 minutes, ideally on a cutting board that will retain temperature for longer.
- Cut Shapes: Cut the dough into 1.5 to 2-inch disks quickly before it softens, remove the excess, and return the disks to the fridge.
Choux Pastry:
- Preheat Oven: Heat oven to 390°F (200°C).
- Boil Butter Mixture: In a pot, mix butter, milk, water, salt, and sugar. Bring to a boil, ensuring the butter melts completely.
- Add Flour: Off the heat, add flour and cocoa powder (mixed) all at once and stir. Return to low heat, stirring continuously for 2-3 minutes until the dough is thick, glossy, and leaves a thin film on the pot bottom.
- Cool Dough: Transfer dough to a bowl and let it cool for 10 minutes, spreading it out to cool faster.
- Whisk Eggs: Beat eggs in a separate bowl.
- Mix Dough: With the dough slightly cooled, mix with a hand mixer. Gradually add half the eggs, mix, then add the remaining eggs bit by bit until the dough forms a 'V' shape when lifted with a whisk or spatula.
Bake:
- Prepare Tray: Line a baking tray with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Pipe Dough: Fill a piping bag and pipe dough onto the tray in 2-inch mounds, leaving 1¼ inches space between each.
- Add Streusel: Place refrigerated streusel discs on each dough mound.
- Bake: Place the baking tray in the oven, immediately reduce temperature to 356°F (180°C), and bake for 40 minutes until slightly browned. Open the oven door slightly for the last 5 minutes of baking.
Whipped Cream:
- Mix Ingredients: Whip cold cream, instant pudding powder, and powdered sugar until stiff.
Assembly:
- Pipe Cream: Pipe whipped cream right into each puff or cut them in half and pipe the cream onto the bottoms.
- Serve: Enjoy the cream puffs immediately for best taste.
Servings: 16 cream puffs with streusel topping