Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened (for craquelin)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (for craquelin)
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 3 tablespoons instant coffee or espresso powder
- 4 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup sugar (for filling)
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons butter (for filling)
- 1/2 cup cold heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Heat milk and coffee powder until hot but not boiling.
- Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth.
- Slowly whisk hot milk into egg mixture, then return to pan and cook until thick.
- Remove from heat, stir in butter and vanilla, cover with plastic wrap touching the surface, and chill completely.
- Mix softened butter, brown sugar, and flour to form craquelin dough.
- Roll thin between parchment, freeze briefly, and cut small circles.
- Bring butter, water, sugar, and salt to a boil for choux pastry.
- Add flour all at once and stir until dough pulls away from the pan.
- Cool slightly, then add eggs one at a time until glossy and pipeable.
- Pipe small mounds onto lined baking tray and top with craquelin discs.
- Bake until puffed, crisp, and golden.
- Cool completely, then fill with chilled coffee cream using a piping bag.
Notes
- Do not open the oven during early baking.
- Chill pastry cream fully before filling.
- Unfilled shells freeze well for advance prep.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 choux puff
- Calories: 260
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
