Supplies
Pastry Cream
- 250 milliliters of skim milk
- 3 egg yolks
- 50 grams sugar
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 185 grams butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- Sea salt
Choux Pastry
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 220 grams all-purpose flour
- 4 egg + 1 egg white
- Powdered sugar to dust
- Flaked almonds to sprinkle
- Milk to brush (any type will work)
Steps
Pastry Cream
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the yolks, vanilla bean paste and the sugar and whisk until well combined and the mixture lightens in color.
- Add the corn flour and plain flour and stir until mixture is smooth.
- Add 1/3 of the hot milk and stir well. Then slowly add the rest of the milk while stirring.
- Microwave for 1 minute at a time, stirring each time until mixture thickens and becomes smooth. You should be able to run your finger along the back of a spoon and it will be thick enough to not come back together.
- Add the cold butter cubes and stir until well combined.
- Transfer custard to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours or overnight to allow it to completely set.
Choux Pastry
- Bring the water, butter, sugar and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove the pan from the heat and quickly stir in the flour with a wooden spoon.
- Cook the mixture over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with the wooden spoon, until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan and film forms on the bottom of the pan, around 1-2 minutes.
- Transfer the dough to a stand mixer and mix on low with the paddle attachment until slightly cooled, around 1 minute. Raise the speed to medium and add each egg, 1 at a time, until soft peaks form in the batter with touched with your finger. This should take around 5 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 220C (425F) and line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Pipe a large circle making sure there is about 3 centimeters of space between the circle and the edge of the tray.
- Pipe another circle inside of the first circle.
- Pipe a circle of pastry on top of the two rings. Gently brush with milk. Bake until golden brown.
- Allow to cool in the oven with the door shut.
- Carefully slice in half using a serrated knife.
- Fit the end of a piping bag with an 8b piping tip.
- Pipe set pastry cream in circles on one half and sandwich with another.
- Dust with icing sugar and sprinkle with flaked almonds to finish.