Pistachio chocolate choux
– choux pastry,
– cocoa cracker,
– chocolate pastry cream,
– pistachio ganache.
Materials used
– Micro-perforated baking mat
– Ancel 210 bloom gelatine
– Fluted piping tip
– filling tip
– plain tip
– Pastry bag
Ingredients
Pistachio praline
✔150g pistachios
✔75g caster sugar
Pistachio ganache
✔60g liquid cream
✔60g white chocolate
✔30g pistachio praline
✔120g single cream
✔2g gelatine
Chocolate pastry cream
✔300g milk
✔50g caster sugar
✔2 egg yolks
✔20g cornflour
✔40g milk chocolate
Crackers
✔40g brown sugar
✔40g butter
✔40g flour
✔10g Cocoa powder
Choux pastry
✔60g water
✔60g milk
✔70g flour
✔55g butter
✔Salt
✔1 tablespoon sugar
✔2 or 3 eggs (depending on size)
The recipe
For 6 puffs
Pistachio praline
✔150g pistachios
✔75g caster sugar
Pour the unsalted, shelled pistachios onto a baking tray and place in the oven at 150°C for 15 minutes. Pour the caster sugar into a saucepan and make a caramel. Pour onto a sheet of greaseproof paper and leave to cool. Place the pistachios and chopped caramel in the bowl of a blender and blend until you have a praline. You’ll have some praline left over for other recipes. It keeps very well in a sealed container. Just make sure you blend it again before use, as the oil will rise to the surface.
Pistachio mounted ganache
✔60g liquid cream
✔60g white chocolate
✔30g pistachio praline
✔120g single cream
✔2g gelatine
Heat 60g of liquid cream with the pistachio praline in a saucepan. Pour off the heat, in three batches, over the chocolate previously melted in the microwave. Pour in the remaining cold cream. Mix, cover with cling film and chill for at least 4 hours.
Crackers
✔40g brown sugar
✔40g butter
✔40g flour
✔10g Cocoa powder
Mix all the ingredients together, roll out between two sheets of greaseproof paper, place in the freezer for a few minutes then cut out circles the diameter of your choux. Return to the freezer while you prepare your choux.
For the choux pastry
✔60g water
✔60g milk
✔70g flour
✔55g butter
✔salt
✔1 tablespoon sugar
✔2 or 3 eggs (depending on size)
Heat the water, milk, butter, salt and sugar in a saucepan.
Add the flour all at once and stir well to dry out the dough for 2 to 3 minutes.
Then gradually add the beaten eggs, mixing well between each egg.
Poach the puffs on a baking tray covered with a micro-perforated baking mat and place a disc of cracker on each puff. Bake at 170°C for 35 to 40 minutes (time may vary depending on oven). Leave to cool.
You will have a little choux pastry left over with these proportions. I was able to make a few chouquettes with…
Chocolate pastry cream
✔300g milk
✔50g caster sugar
✔2 egg yolks
✔20g cornflour
✔40g milk chocolate
Heat the milk in a saucepan. Mix the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour in a bowl. Pour the hot milk over them. Stir. Pour back into the saucepan. Stir until the cream thickens. Add the pistoles of milk chocolate, mix well until the chocolate has completely melted. Set aside in a bowl, filter on contact and chill.
Assembly
Take the crème pâtissière from the fridge. Loosen it a little then fill the cream into a piping bag fitted with a piping nozzle. Make a small hole under each puff and top with the cream.
Using an electric mixer, whip up the pistachio ganache. Fill a piping bag fitted with a fluted tip and poach this ganache onto your choux head downwards, then use a plain tip and poach this onto your choux.
I decorated with a small chocolate disc and a few unsalted pistachios.
