Dulcey Cherry Choux

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If a few years ago I was labeling myself as a true chocoholic, it has come the time to admit that I am over chocolate. I no longer seek it, I no longer want to use it in desserts as much as I used to. Chocolate bonbons are the exception that confirm the (new) rule! My desserts are less and less chocolatey and more fruity, packed with lighter flavors, more aroma and creamy textures. However, there’s one type of chocolate that I simply cannot resist: Dulcey from Valrhona or caramelized white chocolate. It’s the one type of chocolate that I find mesmerizing. The slightly caramel, sweet and salty flavor is addictive, I’m telling you!

The good news though is that you can easily replace Dulcey with a different type of chocolate, whether it is white, milk or dark, and the result will be just as delicious! Mind you, be adventurous and add a drop of praline or a spoonful of pistachio paste into the whipped ganache and you will have a whole new flavor to fill your choux with! It’s a cream that is pretty sensitive to higher temperature though so be aware of that when using it!

Dulcey Cherry Choux – a delicious mix of flavors in a classic French dessert.

Servings :20 pieces

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Ingredients

Craquelin:

60 g butter (softened)
60 g dark brown sugar
1 pinch salt
70 g all-purpose flour

Pate a choux:

80 ml whole milk
80 ml water
2 g salt
3 g white sugar
75 g butter (cubed)
90 g all-purpose flour
160 g whole eggs (+/-)

Whipped Dulcey ganache:

150 ml whole milk
20 g honey
2 g gelatin sheets
1 vanilla bean (split lengthwise)
220 g Dulcey chocolate
390 ml heavy cream (cold, unwhipped)

Cherry compote:

150 g frozen cherries (thawed)
35 g white sugar
4 g pectin NH

Instructions

Craquelin:

Mix the butter and sugar for 2 minutes until light.
Add the flour and salt and knead into a ball.
Place between two sheets of baking paper and roll into a thin sheet.
Place the dough into the freezer until needed.

Pate a choux:

Combine the milk, water, salt, sugar and butter in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
When it starts to boil, remove from heat and add the flour, all at once. Mix well with a spatula then place back on heat.
Cook for 2 minutes until a thin layer of dough sticks to the bottom of the pan.
Remove from heat and transfer into a clean bowl.
Allow to cool down for 10 minutes then start adding the eggs, little by little, mixing well after each addition.
When you’ve added almost the entire amount of eggs, add 1 teaspoon at a time as a little goes a long way. The dough is ready when it looks smooth, shiny and it slowly falls off the spatula or spoon, forming a thin peak as it falls.
Place in a pastry bag fitted with a round pastry tip.
Pipe small dollops of dough on a baking tray lined with baking paper or a silicone mat.
Remove the craquelin from the freezer and cut out small discs using cookie cutters. The discs should be about the same size as the choux dollops. Place the frozen dough over each choux. If the craquelin gets difficult to work with, place back in the freezer for a few minutes.
Bake in the preheated oven at 170C for 35-45 minutes or until slightly golden brown and crisp.
Allow to cool down in the pan.

Whipped Dulcey ganache:

Bloom the gelatin in cold water.
Combine the milk, honey and vanilla in a saucepan and bring to the boiling point. Remove off heat and allow to infuse for 10 minutes.
Remove the vanilla pod and reheat the milk. Add the gelatin and remove from heat.
Pour it over the Dulcey chocolate and blend with an immersion blender.
Add the cold cream and continue blending.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

Cherry compote:

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan.
Bring to a boil and cook for 4 minutes.
Remove from heat and blend just a bit to break down the cherries.
Allow to cool down then place in a pastry bag.

To finish the choux:

Make small holes into each choux using a pastry tip.
Whip the ganache until it’s fluffy, stiff, creamy then place it in a pastry bag fitted with a small pastry tip, enough to help you fill the choux.
Fill the choux first with cherry compote then with the Dulcey whipped ganache.
Finish with a swirl of whipped ganache.
Refrigerate to allow to properly set before serving.

Dulcey Cherry Choux