Cream Puff Crack Buns (Choux au Craquelin): The Ultimate Guide to Perfect Puffs

Cream puff crack buns, also known as choux au craquelin, are a delightful and visually stunning variation of the classic cream puff. The “crack” in their name refers to the crisp, crackly, and slightly sweet topping that adorns the choux pastry, adding a wonderful textural contrast and enhancing the overall flavor. This recipe combines the light and airy choux pastry with a buttery, sugary craquelin topping, resulting in a treat that’s both impressive and incredibly delicious. This detailed guide will walk you through each step, ensuring you achieve perfectly puffed and crackled cream puffs every time.

What are Cream Puff Crack Buns (Choux au Craquelin)?

Choux au craquelin are essentially cream puffs with a special topping. The choux pastry itself is made from a simple dough of water, butter, flour, and eggs. This dough is cooked on the stovetop before being baked, which creates the characteristic hollow center that’s perfect for filling. The craquelin is a thin, cookie-like dough made from butter, sugar, and flour. When baked, it melts and spreads over the choux pastry, creating a crisp, crackled surface that’s both visually appealing and adds a delightful crunch.

Why This Recipe Works

* **Detailed Instructions:** This guide provides step-by-step instructions with clear explanations and helpful tips, making the process easy to follow, even for beginners.
* **Precise Measurements:** Accurate measurements are crucial for successful choux pastry. This recipe provides precise measurements for all ingredients, ensuring consistent results.
* **Troubleshooting Tips:** Common problems encountered while making choux pastry and craquelin are addressed, along with solutions to help you overcome any challenges.
* **Flavor Variations:** This recipe offers suggestions for flavor variations, allowing you to customize your cream puffs to your liking.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Choux Pastry:

* 1 cup (240ml) water
* 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
* 4 large eggs, at room temperature

For the Craquelin Topping:

* 1/2 cup (60g) all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
* 1/4 cup (57g) unsalted butter, softened
* Optional: Food coloring (gel or paste)

For the Filling (Optional):

* 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
* 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* Pastry cream, chocolate ganache, or any filling of your choice

Equipment Needed

* Medium saucepan
* Wooden spoon or heat-resistant spatula
* Measuring cups and spoons
* Baking sheet
* Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
* Piping bag (optional)
* Round piping tip (optional)
* Rolling pin
* Plastic wrap

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Craquelin Topping

1. **Combine Ingredients:** In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and softened butter. Use your fingers or a pastry blender to mix the ingredients until they form a crumbly dough.
2. **Form a Dough:** Knead the dough lightly until it comes together into a smooth ball. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring to the dough and mix well to distribute the color evenly.
3. **Roll Out the Dough:** Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap. Roll it out to a thickness of about 1/8 inch (3mm). Aim for a thin, even layer.
4. **Chill the Dough:** Place the rolled-out dough on a baking sheet or cutting board and chill it in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. This will make it easier to cut out the circles later.

Step 2: Make the Choux Pastry

1. **Combine Water, Butter, and Salt:** In a medium saucepan, combine the water, butter, and salt. Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a rolling boil.
2. **Add the Flour:** Once the mixture is boiling, remove the saucepan from the heat and add all the flour at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon or heat-resistant spatula until the flour is fully incorporated and the mixture forms a smooth ball that pulls away from the sides of the saucepan.
3. **Cook the Dough:** Return the saucepan to medium heat and continue to cook the dough for about 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. This process dries out the dough slightly, which is essential for proper puffing during baking. You’ll notice a thin film forming on the bottom of the saucepan.
4. **Cool the Dough:** Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl and let it cool for about 5-10 minutes, or until it’s just warm to the touch. This is important because adding the eggs while the dough is too hot can cook them and prevent the pastry from puffing properly.
5. **Add the Eggs:** Once the dough has cooled slightly, add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. The dough will initially appear curdled or broken, but continue mixing until it comes back together into a smooth, glossy batter. The batter should be thick enough to hold its shape but still drop slowly from the spoon.

Step 3: Assemble and Bake the Cream Puffs

1. **Preheat the Oven:** Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
2. **Pipe or Spoon the Dough:** Transfer the choux pastry dough to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip (optional). Alternatively, you can use a spoon to dollop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Space the mounds of dough about 2 inches (5cm) apart to allow for expansion.
3. **Cut Out Craquelin Circles:** Remove the chilled craquelin dough from the freezer and use a round cookie cutter or knife to cut out circles slightly larger than the mounds of choux pastry. A diameter of about 2 inches (5cm) usually works well.
4. **Place Craquelin on Top:** Gently place a craquelin circle on top of each mound of choux pastry. The craquelin should cover the top of the pastry completely.
5. **Bake the Cream Puffs:** Bake the cream puffs for 25-30 minutes, or until they are puffed up, golden brown, and the craquelin is crisp and crackled. Do not open the oven door during the first 20 minutes of baking, as this can cause the puffs to deflate.
6. **Cool the Cream Puffs:** Once the cream puffs are baked, turn off the oven and prop the oven door slightly ajar with a wooden spoon or oven mitt. Let the cream puffs cool in the oven for about 30 minutes. This gradual cooling process helps prevent them from collapsing.
7. **Transfer to a Wire Rack:** Remove the cream puffs from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 4: Fill the Cream Puffs

1. **Prepare the Filling:** While the cream puffs are cooling, prepare your desired filling. For a simple whipped cream filling, whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract together until stiff peaks form. You can also use pastry cream, chocolate ganache, or any other filling of your choice.
2. **Fill the Cream Puffs:** Once the cream puffs are completely cool, use a serrated knife to slice them in half horizontally. Alternatively, you can use a piping bag fitted with a small round tip to poke a hole in the bottom of each puff and fill them from there.
3. **Assemble and Serve:** Fill the cream puffs with your desired filling and serve immediately. You can dust them with powdered sugar for an extra touch of sweetness.

Tips for Perfect Cream Puffs

* **Use Accurate Measurements:** Precise measurements are crucial for successful choux pastry. Use a kitchen scale for the most accurate results.
* **Don’t Overcook the Dough:** Cooking the dough on the stovetop is important for drying it out slightly, but be careful not to overcook it. Overcooked dough will be too dry and difficult to work with.
* **Cool the Dough Before Adding Eggs:** Make sure the dough has cooled slightly before adding the eggs. Adding the eggs while the dough is too hot can cook them and prevent the pastry from puffing properly.
* **Add Eggs One at a Time:** Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. This will ensure that the eggs are fully incorporated into the dough and that the batter is smooth and glossy.
* **Don’t Open the Oven Door Too Early:** Avoid opening the oven door during the first 20 minutes of baking, as this can cause the puffs to deflate.
* **Cool Gradually:** Let the cream puffs cool gradually in the oven with the door ajar. This helps prevent them from collapsing.
* **Store Properly:** Store unfilled cream puffs in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Filled cream puffs should be stored in the refrigerator and consumed within 24 hours.

Troubleshooting

* **Cream Puffs Didn’t Puff:** This can be caused by several factors, including inaccurate measurements, overcooked dough, or opening the oven door too early. Make sure to use precise measurements, avoid overcooking the dough, and resist the urge to peek inside the oven during the first 20 minutes of baking.
* **Cream Puffs Collapsed:** Collapsing can be caused by underbaked pastry, opening the oven door too early, or cooling the cream puffs too quickly. Make sure the cream puffs are golden brown and fully puffed before removing them from the oven, and let them cool gradually in the oven with the door ajar.
* **Craquelin Didn’t Spread:** This can be caused by craquelin dough that is too thick or not chilled enough. Make sure to roll out the craquelin dough to a thickness of about 1/8 inch (3mm) and chill it in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before cutting out the circles.

Flavor Variations

* **Chocolate Craquelin:** Add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder to the craquelin dough for a chocolatey twist.
* **Coffee Craquelin:** Add 1 teaspoon of instant coffee powder to the craquelin dough for a coffee-flavored topping.
* **Citrus Craquelin:** Add the zest of one lemon or orange to the craquelin dough for a citrusy flavor.
* **Different Fillings:** Experiment with different fillings, such as pastry cream, chocolate ganache, fruit compote, or even savory fillings like cream cheese and herbs.
* **Matcha Craquelin:** Add 1-2 teaspoons of matcha powder to the craquelin dough for a vibrant green color and earthy flavor.

Nutritional Information (per cream puff with whipped cream filling, approximate):

* Calories: 250-300
* Fat: 15-20g
* Saturated Fat: 10-12g
* Cholesterol: 100-120mg
* Sodium: 100-150mg
* Carbohydrates: 20-25g
* Sugar: 10-15g
* Protein: 3-4g

Storage Instructions

* **Unfilled Cream Puffs:** Store unfilled cream puffs in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. You can also freeze unfilled cream puffs for up to 1 month. Thaw them completely before filling.
* **Filled Cream Puffs:** Filled cream puffs should be stored in the refrigerator and consumed within 24 hours. The filling can make the pastry soggy if stored for longer.

Conclusion

Cream puff crack buns (choux au craquelin) are a delightful and impressive treat that’s surprisingly easy to make at home. With their light and airy choux pastry and crisp, crackly craquelin topping, they’re sure to be a hit with family and friends. Follow this detailed guide, and you’ll be well on your way to creating perfect puffs every time. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different flavor variations and fillings to create your own unique version of this classic dessert. Enjoy!