Craquelin

1. Combine brown sugar, flour and butter in a mixing bowl
2. Rub the butter into the flour and sugar using your fingertips
3. Place between two pieces of parchment paper and use a rolling pin to roll it out to 4mm in thickness
4. Freeze
5. Cut into 4cm or 1 1/2″ inch round discs with a cookie cutter and reserve in the freezer until ready for use

Choux Pastry Dough

1. Preheat the oven to 230°C
2. Line a large baking tray with baking paper
3. Heat milk, water, butter, salt and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat
4. When it starts to boil remove from heat and add the flour in one go, mixing vigorously until smooth
5. Return to medium heat and flatten the dough to the bottom of the pan, listening for crackling of the dough without mixing
6. Give the pan a shake and when you notice the dough doesn’t stick to the sides of the pan, and a thin film forms on the bottom of the pan the dough is sufficiently dry
7. Remove from the heat
8. Using a wooden spoon/spatula beat the dough to let steam evaporate and then cool for 10 minutes
9. Slowly add the beaten egg and stir until the dough is smooth, but still holds structure (the batter will form a ‘V’ or a ‘beak’ on the spoon/spatula when lifted) (You can also do this in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment at medium speed)
10. Pipe small 3.5cm or 1 1/3″ round mounds on the prepared baking sheet
11. Top with a disc of frozen craquelin
12. Turn down the oven temperature to 160°C and bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown
13. Remove from oven and poke a hole in the bottom of each puff to release steam
14. Cool on a wire rack

Creme patissiere

1. Heat milk until just boiling in a small saucepan
2. Meanwhile, in a medium-sized mixing bowl combine egg yolks, sugar and a teaspoon vanilla extract (optional), whisking until doubled in volume
3. Sift in the cornflour and cocoa powder, mix until combined
4. Pour the hot milk into the egg mixture and whisk until smooth
5. Return the mixture to heat and whisk constantly until thick
6. Remove from heat and add butter
7. Pour into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, ensuring it touches the surface of the pastry cream
8. Cool in fridge until use

Chocolate Cream

1. Whisk the cream until medium-stiff peaks are reached
2. Add the cooled creme patisserie and whisk until stiff peaks are reached
3. Transfer to a piping bag with a small round tip
4. Reserve in the fridge until use

Assembly

1. Using the end of a chopstick or a skewer poke a hole in the bottom of each choux puff
2. Insert the tip of the piping bag into the bottom of each choux puff and fill it with the chocolate cream
3. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and consume within 2 days