How do you make Crème Brûlée better? Put it in a choux bun. I made these for my fortieth birthday party and the plate was empty before I I’d finished my first glass of champagne.
I guess everyone loves Crème Brûlée as much as I do and putting it in a crisp choux pastry makes it an easy finger dessert, great for party food.
Crème pâtissière or pastry cream or “crème pat” as it is sometimes known as, can be made a few days in advance and left in the fridge. The choux buns can be made and frozen or just kept in an airtight container and crisped up in the oven before filling and completing. The sugar covering the top of the choux is really hot, you should avoid having kids in the kitchen while you finish the pastries up, sugar burns are no joke. ( I always seem to burn my finger making these, pause for sympathy, so be super careful)
Choux pastry:
60g flour, sifted
150ml water
65g butter
5ml sugar
2ml salt
2 eggs (60g)
Crème pâtissière:
4 egg yolks
125g castor sugar
30g corn flour
30g flour
5ml vanilla extract
500ml milk
Choux pastry:
In a medium saucepan, bring the water and butter to the just before boiling. Once the butter has me,ted, remove from the heat.
Add the flour quickly and all at once, stir quickly to combine completely.
Return the saucepan to the heat and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes until the dough pulls away from the sides of the saucepan.
Allow to cool for about 5 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Line a large baking tray with baking paper or silicone mat.
Spray the prepared baking tray with water, this will help the pastries rise.
Beat the eggs and add about a third to the dough and beat well. It will separate at first, continue until it is completely combined.
Continue adding egg untill you get a pipable dough with a glossy sheen. You may not use all the egg.
Fill a piping bag with a star nozzle and pipe short lengths of dough onto the prepared baking tray.
Bake for 10 minutes and then turn down the oven to 180ºC and bake for a further 15 minutes.
Remove the buns from the oven, prick the base with a cake tester or toothpick to release the hot air.
Return to the switched off oven and allow to cool.
Crème pâtissière:
Bring the milk to a simmer, tiny bubbles will form around the edge of the saucepan.
While you wait for the milk to heat up, beat the eggs with the flour, corn flour, vanilla and sugar.
Pour half of the warmed milk into the egg mixture, stirring quickly.
Return the remaining milk to the heat and bring to the boil.
Pour the egg and milk mixture into the boiling milk while whisking rapidly and cook until thick.
Place into a shallow dish and cover with clingfilm to cool.
To finish:
Fill a piping bag with crème pâtissière and a small nozzle.
Pipe crème pâtissière into the base of the choux buns, filling them carefully. They should become heavy.
Place 250ml castor sugar onto high heat in a frying pan. Allow sugar to melt and turn amber. Turn off heat.
Carefully dip the top of each bun into the sugar and set aside.
Serve immediately.
Crème Brûlée Choux Buns
Choux pastry:
- 60g flour, sifted
- 150ml water
- 65g butter
- 5ml sugar
- 2ml salt
- 2 eggs (60g)
Crème pâtissière:
- 4 egg yolks
- 125g castor sugar
- 30g corn flour
- 30g flour
- 5ml vanilla extract
- 500ml milk
Choux pastry:
- In a medium saucepan, bring the water and butter to the just before boiling. On ce the butter has me,ted, remove from the heat.
- Add the flour quickly and all at once, stir quickly to combine completely.
- Return the saucepan to the heat and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes until the dough pulls away from the sides of the saucepan.
- Allow to cool for about 5 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Line a large baking tray with baking paper or silicone mat.
- Spray the prepared baking
- Beat the eggs and add about a third to the dough and beat well. It will separate at first, continue until it is completely combined.
- Continue adding egg untill you get a pipable dough with a glossy sheen. You may not use all the egg.
- Fill a piping bag with a star nozzle and pipe short lengths of dough onto the prepared baking tray.
- Bake for 10 minutes and then turn down the oven to 180ºC and bake for a further 15 minutes.
- Remove the buns from the oven, prick the base with a cake tester or toothpick to release the hot air.
- Return to the switched off oven and allow to cool.
Crème pâtissière:
- Bring the milk to a simmer, tiny bubbles will form around the edge of the saucepan.
- While you wait for the milk to heat up, beat the eggs with the flour, corn flour, vanilla and sugar.
- Pour half of the warmed milk into the egg mixture, stirring quickly.
- Return the remaining milk to the heat and bring to the boil.
- Pour the egg and milk mixture into the boiling milk while whisking rapidly and cook until thick.
- Place into a shallow dish and cover with clingfilm to cool.
To finish:
- Fill a piping bag with crème pâtissière and a small nozzle.
- Pipe crème pâtissière into the base of the choux buns, filling them carefully. They should become heavy.
- Place 250ml castor sugar onto high heat in a frying pan. Allow sugar to melt and turn amber. Turn off heat.
- Carefully dip the top of each bun into the sugar and set aside.
- Serve immediately.
