Decadent Coffee & Dulce de Leche Choux au Craquelin: A Modern Fastelavnsboller Delight
Jump to Recipe
Prepare to be enchanted by these exquisite Choux au Craquelin, a contemporary take on the beloved Danish ‘Fastelavnsboller’. Each delicate puff is a masterpiece, boasting a delightful crunch from the craquelin topping, followed by a tender, airy choux pastry interior. This particular rendition is generously filled with a velvety coffee cream and a luscious swirl of salted dulce de leche, creating a flavor profile that is both sophisticated and incredibly comforting. If you’re searching for a unique dessert that combines classic French technique with a touch of Nordic charm and irresistible flavors, your quest ends here.
Unveiling the Choux au Craquelin: A Symphony of Textures
Choux au Craquelin, a pastry marvel, elevates the classic French choux puff to new heights. It consists of two main components: the light-as-air choux pastry, and a thin, crisp cookie-like disc known as craquelin. The craquelin is placed on top of the raw choux pastry before baking, and as the choux expands in the oven, the craquelin bakes into a perfectly uniform, crackled crust. This magical combination delivers an unparalleled textural experience – a shatteringly crisp exterior yielding to a hollow, ethereal interior, ready to be filled with your favorite creams.
The beauty of Choux au Craquelin lies in this dynamic contrast. The crunchy craquelin not only adds texture but also provides a beautiful, even browning and a touch of sweetness that perfectly complements the rich fillings. For this recipe, we’ve opted for a bold coffee cream and a sweet-and-salty dulce de leche, a pairing that transforms these puffs into an extraordinary dessert.
The Danish Fastelavnsboller Tradition
Beyond being a sensational dessert, these Choux au Craquelin pay homage to the Danish ‘Fastelavnsboller’. Fastelavn, often described as an old Danish equivalent of Halloween or Mardi Gras, is a vibrant celebration filled with joy and treats. Children dress up in costumes as princes, princesses, ghosts, or their favorite characters, and partake in the tradition of “slå katten af tønden” – knocking down a wooden barrel filled with candy. It’s a sweet, playful tradition that has captivated generations, but for many, the true highlight of the season is undeniably the Fastelavnsboller.
Traditionally, Fastelavnsboller are sweet buns filled with cream, jam, or marzipan. However, in recent years, bakers have innovated, creating modern interpretations that range from Danish pastry variations to choux pastry delights like these. The Fastelavn season typically spans over a month, giving everyone ample time to indulge in these delightful buns. Our Choux au Craquelin with coffee and dulce de leche is a perfect example of how a classic tradition can be beautifully reinterpreted, offering a luxurious and unforgettable treat that truly captures the festive spirit of Fastelavn.
The Irresistible Fusion of Coffee and Salted Dulce de Leche
What truly sets this recipe apart is the divine combination of coffee cream and salted dulce de leche. The smooth, aromatic coffee cream offers a delightful bitterness that cuts through the richness, while the dulce de leche, with its deep caramelized sweetness and a hint of salt, provides an incredibly satisfying counterpoint. This pairing creates a harmonious balance of flavors that will leave you craving more. Each bite delivers a sophisticated dance on the palate – the crunch of the craquelin, the airiness of the choux, the creamy coffee, and the gooey, sweet-and-salty caramel. It’s a match made in dessert heaven, designed to impress and delight.
Mastering Choux au Craquelin: Tips for Perfection
Baking Choux au Craquelin might seem intimidating, but with a few key tips, you can achieve perfect results every time. The secret lies in understanding the nuances of choux pastry and craquelin. For a deeper dive into the fundamentals of choux, you can find more tips and tricks on Choux au Craquelin in the Baking Basics blogpost. Here are some essential guidelines:
- **Craquelin Consistency:** Ensure your craquelin dough is rolled thinly and evenly (2-3mm). This ensures it bakes uniformly and creates that signature delicate crackle. Freezing it solid before cutting is crucial to prevent tearing.
- **Choux Pastry Hydration:** The consistency of your choux pastry is paramount. It should be sticky, smooth, and glossy, forming a “V” shape when lifted with a spatula, but not too runny. Gradually adding eggs is key, as you might not need all of them, depending on your flour and ambient humidity.
- **Oven Temperature & No Peeking:** Choux pastry relies on steam to puff up. A hot oven creates this initial burst of steam. Resisting the urge to open the oven door during baking is vital, especially in the first 20-25 minutes, as a sudden drop in temperature can cause the choux to deflate.
- **Baking Thoroughly:** Choux must be baked until firm and deeply golden brown. If underbaked, they will collapse upon cooling. The small hole pricked at the end of baking helps release internal steam, preventing sogginess.
- **Gradual Cooling:** Moving the choux from a hot oven directly into cold air can cause deflation. Cooling them gradually, perhaps on top of the stove while the oven is still warm, then transferring to a wire rack, helps maintain their structure.
For more choux au craquelin recipe inspirations, explore other delightful variations such as Raspberry Choux au Craquelin, Choux au Craquelin with Raspberry and Nutella, and Choux au Craquelin with Raspberry Cream. Each recipe offers a unique twist on this versatile pastry.
Storage Tips for Optimal Freshness
To experience Choux au Craquelin at their absolute best, they are ideally enjoyed immediately after being filled. The crispness of the craquelin and the freshness of the cream are truly unparalleled at this stage. However, if you plan to prepare them ahead of time, careful storage can help maintain their quality. Store unfilled choux buns in an airtight container at room temperature. The craquelin will soften slightly over time, but a quick refresh in a warm oven for a few minutes can often restore some of its crispness. Prepare your coffee cream and dulce de leche, storing them separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Assemble the Choux au Craquelin with the fillings just before serving to ensure the ultimate texture and flavor experience.
Other Delightful Choux au Craquelin & Pastry Recipes To Explore
- Raspberry Madeleines
- Choux au Craquelin with Raspberry and Nutella
- Choux au Craquelin with Coffee and Dulce de Leche
- Chocolate Madeleines with Dulce de Leche
Did you love this recipe? Make sure to leave a STAR REVIEW below! And don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @juliemarieeats to share your creations. For more baking inspiration and delicious ideas, be sure to follow me on Pinterest!
Choux au Craquelin with Coffee and Salted Dulce de Leche
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
CHOUX AU CRAQUELINE
CRAQUELIN
- 25 g butter room temperature
- 30 g granulated sugar
- 30 g all-purpose flour
CHOUX PASTRY
- 30 g water
- 30 g milk
- 30 g butter
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 5 g granulated sugar
- 35 g strong bread flour 12-14% protein
- 60 g large eggs ca 1-2 eggs, room temperature
CHOCOLATE DECORATION
- 50 g dark chocolate
COFFEE CREME
- 400 g cream
- 3 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee powder
SALTED DULCE DE LECHE
- 100 g dulce de leche
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
CHOUX AU CRAQUELIN
CRAQUELIN
- Cream together the butter and sugar until well incorporated together. Add the flour and mix it together with the butter and sugar until it turns into a crumbled structure.
- Transfer the dough to a piece of parchment paper. Place another piece of parchment paper on top and roll it out until it’s about 2-3 mm thick.
- Place it in the freezer for 30-40 min.
CHOUX PASTRY
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC conventional oven. Prepare a baking tray lined with parchment paper or a performative mat (Airmat).
- Bring water, milk, butter, salt, and sugar to a boil over medium heat. Give it a stir once in a while to make sure that the butter, sugar, and salt have dissolved before the milk and water starts to boil. Once boiling remove from heat and add the flour. Using a heat-proof spatula quickly stir it in. Once all the flour has been incorporated, and there are no flour lumps, put it back on medium heat and stir constantly for 2 min. When it’s done, the dough will collect itself and form a ball/balls and there is a film of dough at the bottom of the pan if you use a stainless steel pan.
- Transfer it to a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or use a hand mixer. At low speed, whisk for 2 minutes so the dough can cool down a bit. Whisk in the meantime the eggs together. Once the dough has cooled down a bit, slowly pour in the eggs along the side of the bowl, about ⅓ of the egg mixture at a time, until it’s all well incorporated. With the last ⅓ of the egg mixture, add it a little bit at a time. Depending on the dough you might not need all the 60g of eggs. I sometimes have a little bit left, what is important is to look for the right consistency. It needs to be sticky, smooth, and glossy and hold its shape. If it’s too runny it won’t hold its shape.
- Transfer the pastry dough to a piping bag with a round tip that is about 1 cm, I like to use the Wilton 1A tip.
- Before you start piping, take the craquelin out of the freezer and let it sit on the countertop while you pipe the choux pastry. Letting it sit for a few minutes makes sure it’s doesn’t crack when cutting out the circles.
- Hold the piping bag at a 90’ angle and pipe the choux pastry, on the prepared baking trays, until it’s 5 cm in diameter.
- With a 6 cm, in diameter, cookie cutter, cut out 6 craquelin circles so they’re slightly bigger than the choux pastry and place them on the pastry.
- Bake for 30-35 min. Keep the oven door closed so they don’t deflate. When it hits the 28 min mark, they should be about a medium golden brown color. Open the oven door and only slightly pull the tray out, and with a sharp toothpick or cake tester, pick a hole in the Choux to let out any extra stream there might be inside them. Be as quick as possible with this. Put them back in and bake them for 2-10 min. Mine took 32 mins to become a perfect crisp golden color, but the time very much depends on one’s oven. They should be firm and crispy. If they feel soft let them bake for a few minutes more.
- Once done, place them on the top of the stove so they cool off around the heat of the oven. This will make it safer for them not to deflate as the shock of the colder air won’t be as intense.
- After they have cooled down for about 5-10 min, transfer them to a cooling rack to cool down completely.
CHOCOLATE DECORATIONS (OPTIONAL)
- Temper the dark chocolate and pour it on a piece of cake plastic or parchment paper. Even it out with an offset spatula until a nice thin layer. Let it set on the table. Once the chocolate has almost set gently, use a 6 cm cookie cutter to make 6 circles in the chocolate. Let it completely set. Once set break the circle out and set it aside for later.
SALTED DULCE DE LECHE
- Mix together the dulce de leche and salt and pour it into a small piping bag. Set it aside while making the coffee creme.
COFFEE CREME
- When you are ready to serve. Whisk all the ingredients together until the whipped cream creates stiff peaks.
- Transfer the cream to a piping bag with a large round piping tip, e.g. I used an 18mm piping tip.
ASSEMBLING
- Once you’re ready to serve cut the very top of the Choux buns horizontally off. You just want a small hole so you can fill the Choux buns.
- Pipe the coffee cream into the choux up until the edge. Then pipe the Dulce de Leche in the in middle of the coffee creme. Place a chocolate circle on top and pipe a dollop of the coffee cream on top.
- Run a teaspoon under hot water and make an indent in the cream. Rinse and dry of the teaspoon between each indent in the cream. Fill each indent with the salted Dulce de Leche.