Indulge in the delicate, airy texture of these Salted Caramel Cream Puffs, each filled with a luxurious salted caramel whipped cream. The combination of sweet caramel and a hint of sea salt, paired with the light crunch of craquelin, makes this dessert a sublime treat for any pastry lover.
Why You’ll Love This
These cream puffs are the perfect blend of textures and flavors—crisp on the outside with a creamy, velvety filling. The homemade salted caramel adds a rich depth of flavor that beautifully complements the subtle sweetness of the choux pastry. Each bite is a perfect balance of fluffy and gooey, making these cream puffs utterly irresistible.
Perfect Occasion
Salted Caramel Cream Puffs are ideal for high tea events, sophisticated dessert tables at weddings, or as an elegant treat at dinner parties. They’re also wonderful for holiday celebrations or simply as a special treat to enjoy any day.
Decoration Tips
To add an artistic touch, drizzle extra salted caramel over the assembled cream puffs, or lightly dust them with powdered sugar. For a festive look, you can top each cream puff with a small sprinkle of flaky sea salt or edible gold leaf.
For the Choux Pastry:
- Prepare the Dough:
- Boil 100g water, 100g whole milk, 80g butter (cut into squares), 2g salt, 2g honey, and 5g granulated sugar in a saucepan.
- Off the heat, add 120g flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon for 5 minutes on low heat to dry out the dough.
- Transfer the dough to a mixer and gradually incorporate 180g to 220g of beaten eggs in four additions until the dough reaches a dropping consistency (not too fluid).
- Bake:
- Pipe onto baking sheets and top each with a slightly larger circle of frozen craquelin. Bake at 170°C (338°F) for 30 minutes.
For the Craquelin:
- Make the Craquelin:
- Mix 60g soft butter, 75g brown sugar, and 75g flour until homogenous. Roll out between two sheets of parchment paper to 2mm thickness and cut into circles slightly larger than the puffs.
For the Salted Caramel Whipped Cream:
- Prepare the Filling:
- Whip 375g cold mascarpone, 150g cold heavy cream, and 70g powdered sugar into stiff peaks.
- Fold in 2 heaping tablespoons of salted caramel.
For the Salted Caramel:
- Make Caramel:
- Melt 150g granulated sugar into a caramel on low heat, watching carefully to avoid burning.
- Heat 180g cream and gradually add to the caramel in batches, stirring continuously to avoid splashes.
- Stir in 60g half-salt butter, then cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Cool to room temperature for piping.
Assembly:
- Pipe the salted caramel whipped cream into the cooled choux pastries and finish with a drizzle of salted caramel.
Enjoy these exquisite Salted Caramel Cream Puffs, a delightful combination of creamy, crunchy, and caramel, sure to please any dessert aficionado!