Black Currant and Violet Choux Craquelin

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter (craquelin)75g
• Brown sugar90g
• All-purpose flour (craquelin)90g
• Purple food colouring powder1g
• Water (choux)125g
• Whole milk (choux)125g
• Unsalted butter (choux)110g
• Fine salt4g
• Caster sugar (choux)8g
• All-purpose flour (choux)140g
• Whole eggs4 large
• Black currant purée200g
• Caster sugar (insert)40g
• Pectin NH4g
• Whole milk (cream)250g
• Heavy cream 35%250g
• Egg yolks4
• Caster sugar (cream)60g
• Cornstarch20g
• Violet extract3g
• Unsalted butter (cream)80g
• Gelatin sheets (200 bloom)3g
• Whipped cream (fold-in)150g

Method

1. 1.CRAQUELIN: Mix butter, brown sugar, flour, and colour powder until a smooth dough forms. Roll to 3mm between parchment, freeze flat.
2. 2.Stamp out 4.5cm discs with a round cutter. Keep frozen until needed.
3. 3.CHOUX: Bring water, milk, butter, salt, and sugar to a full boil. Add flour all at once, stir vigorously over medium heat until the dough pulls clean from the pan, about 2 min.
4. 4.Transfer to a stand mixer. Beat on medium until steaming stops, then add eggs one at a time until the batter falls in a slow ribbon.
5. 5.Pipe 5cm mounds on lined trays. Top each with a craquelin disc. Bake at 170°C (convection) for 28 min — do not open the oven. Cool completely on a rack.
6. 6.BLACK CURRANT INSERT: Combine purée with sugar and pectin. Bring to a boil for 1 min, whisking. Pour into small hemisphere moulds (2cm), freeze solid.
7. 7.VIOLET DIPLOMAT CREAM: Bloom gelatin in cold water. Whisk yolks, sugar, and cornstarch together.
8. 8.Heat milk to a simmer, pour over yolk mixture, whisk, return to pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick and glossy.
9. 9.Off heat, add drained gelatin, butter, and violet extract. Blend smooth. Press film directly on surface, chill to 20°C.
10. 10.Fold whipped cream gently into the cooled pastry cream. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a Saint-Honoré or star tip.
11. 11.ASSEMBLY: Slice the top third off each choux. Pipe a generous spiral of violet cream into the base. Press a frozen black currant insert into the centre.
12. 12.Pipe a final crown of cream over the insert. Replace the craquelin lid at a slight angle. Dust lightly with violet powder and serve within 2 hours.