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Crème Brûlée Choux Buns

How do you make Crème Brûlée better? Put it in a choux bun. I made these for my fortieth birthday party and the plate was empty before I I’d finished my first glass of champagne. I guess everyone…

Level
Intermediate
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INTRODUCTION

How do you make Crème Brûlée better? Put it in a choux bun. I made these for my fortieth birthday party and the plate was empty before I I’d finished my first glass of champagne.

I guess everyone loves Crème Brûlée as much as I do and putting it in a crisp choux pastry makes it an easy finger dessert, great for party food.

Crème pâtissière or pastry cream or “crème pat” as it is sometimes known as, can be made a few days in advance and left in the fridge. The choux buns can be made and frozen or just kept in an airtight container and crisped up in the oven before  filling and completing. The sugar covering the top of the choux is really hot, you should avoid having kids in the kitchen while you finish the pastries up, sugar burns are no joke. ( I always seem to burn my finger making these, pause for sympathy, so be super careful)

METHOD

Ingredients

Choux pastry:

Crème pâtissière:

Directions

Choux pastry:

  1. Step 1:

    In a medium saucepan, bring the water and butter to the just before boiling. Once the butter has me,ted, remove from the heat.

  2. Step 2:

    Add the flour quickly and all at once, stir quickly to combine completely.

  3. Step 3:

    Return the saucepan to the heat and cook for about until the dough pulls away from the sides of the saucepan.

  4. Step 4:

    Allow to cool for about .

  5. Step 5:

    Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Line a large baking tray with baking paper or silicone mat.

  6. Step 6:

    Spray the prepared baking.

  7. Step 7:

    Beat the eggs and add about a third to the dough and beat well. It will separate at first, continue until it is completely combined.

  8. Step 8:

    Continue adding egg until you get a pipable dough with a glossy sheen. You may not use all the egg.

  9. Step 9:

    Fill a piping bag with a star nozzle and pipe short lengths of dough onto the prepared baking tray.

  10. Step 10:

    Bake for and then turn down the oven to 180ºC and bake for a further .

  11. Step 11:

    Remove the buns from the oven, prick the base with a cake tester or toothpick to release the hot air.

  12. Step 12:

    Return to the switched off oven and allow to cool.

Crème pâtissière:

  1. Step 13:

    Bring the milk to a simmer, tiny bubbles will form around the edge of the saucepan.

  2. Step 14:

    While you wait for the milk to heat up, beat the eggs with the flour, corn flour, vanilla and sugar.

  3. Step 15:

    Pour half of the warmed milk into the egg mixture, stirring quickly.

  4. Step 16:

    Return the remaining milk to the heat and bring to the boil.

  5. Step 17:

    Pour the egg and milk mixture into the boiling milk while whisking rapidly and cook until thick.

  6. Step 18:

    Place into a shallow dish and cover with clingfilm to cool.

To finish:

  1. Step 19:

    Fill a piping bag with crème pâtissière and a small nozzle.

  2. Step 20:

    Pipe crème pâtissière into the base of the choux buns, filling them carefully. They should become heavy.

  3. Step 21:

    Place 250ml castor sugar onto high heat in a frying pan. Allow sugar to melt and turn amber. Turn off heat.

  4. Step 22:

    Carefully dip the top of each bun into the sugar and set aside.

  5. Step 23:

    Serve immediately.

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