Here are my go-to tips and tricks for making choux au craquelin that turn out perfectly every time. These pastries have that signature crackly, crispy top that adds the best little crunch to each bite. But the real magic’s on the inside - vanilla bean diplomat cream. It’s rich, buttery, and silky smooth, made with just the right mix of eggs and cornstarch for a dreamy custard filling.

Jump to:

• What is Choux Pastry?
• What is Craquelin?
• What is Diplomat Cream?
• Why You'll Love This Recipe
• Equipment
• Ingredients
• What is the Right Choux Batter Consistency?
• Tips and Tricks for the Best Diplomat Cream
• Tips and Tricks for the Best Choux Au Craquelin
• How to Make Choux au Craquelin
• Storage Instructions
• Troubleshooting
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Recipe

What is Choux Pastry?

Originating in 16th century France, choux pastry, or pâte à choux, was innovatively created by a Florentine chef named Pantarelli. This versatile French dough is popular for its ability to puff up during baking, resulting in an airy and hollow interior that creates the perfect cavity for your favorite filling.

Pâte à choux starts with cooking together water, milk, butter, salt, sugar, and flour until it turns into a smooth dough. Then you mix in eggs to make it glossy and stretchy. Instead of using baking soda or baking powder, it puffs up in the oven thanks to all the steam from the moisture in the dough. You just pipe it and bake, it’s all about that steam-powered rise!

This light, airy dough is super versatile and shows up in all kinds of European desserts, mostly sweet ones like cream puffs, croquembouche, Paris-Brest, profiteroles, éclairs, and even Spanish churros!

What is Craquelin?

The modern take on choux au craquelin levels up the classic cream puff with a thin, crispy cookie-like layer on top called craquelin. It’s basically a sweet dough made of sugar, butter, and flour that gets placed on the choux before baking. After freezing, it bakes right onto the puff, wrapping around the top and giving it that awesome crunchy texture! I like using dark brown sugar for a deeper color, but granulated sugar works just fine too.

What is Diplomat Cream?

Diplomat cream, known as crème diplomat in French, involves merging two distinct components: crème pâtissière (pastry cream) lightened with whipped cream.

Pastry cream is made with heavy cream, milk, egg yolks, butter, sugar, salt, cornstarch, and vanilla bean. Unlike the runnier crème anglaise, it sets up nice and firm. One thing I really like about it is how easy it is to tweak the thickness. Just adjust the starch depending on whether you want it lighter or more dense.

Whipped cream, on the other hand, is just heavy cream and sugar. When you mix it with pastry cream, you get diplomat cream, a super smooth, light, and airy filling that’s not too heavy. Some versions of diplomat cream use gelatin for extra stability, especially if you’re piping it onto a cake, but it’s totally optional. For this recipe, I’m keeping it simple: a classic vanilla bean diplomat cream that’s just right for filling these choux pastries!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Crispy, crackly shell from the craquelin creates textural contrast.
• Light and airy puff that's not overly sweet.
• Soft, light and versatile diplomat cream filling that strikes the perfect balance - not too overly eggy or too buttery.
• Burst of berries in every bite!
• Straightforward recipe that's easy to make ahead of time.
• Impressive dessert that will surely be a crowd pleaser.

Equipment

• Kitchen scale - Used to accurately weigh all ingredients as my recipe is mainly in grams.
• Stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or hand mixer - Useful for thoroughly mixing the batter and whipping up the whipped cream.
• Spatula - Used in the final steps of mixing the choux batter. When you make the choux at this stage, time is of the essence. So you want to be able to gauge the right consistency fairly quickly!
• Saucepan - Used for cooking the panade for the choux dough. Use stainless steel (instead of a nonstick) to cook the dough so that you can observe the bottom of the pan. But any kind is fine to use!
• Rolling pin - Used to roll out the craquelin dough to about 2-3 mm thick.
• Cookie cutter - Use a 2 inch cookie cutter to cut out the craquelin discs.
• Round piping tip (optional) - I use Ateco's #809 tip for piping even little mounds of about 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter. Wilton's 1A tip or any other ½ inch round tip will also work (even the corner of a ziplock bag will work). You'll also want to use the wider side of the round piping tip to cut out perfect round circles for the choux tops.
• Pastry bags (optional) - Used for piping the choux batter into even mounds and piping the whipped cream on top of the berries. If you don't have any, you can use the corner of a ziplock bag.
• Baking sheet - You'll of course need a baking sheet to bake the choux pastries on! I recommend this one so you get perfectly baked and easily removable choux.
• Baking mat - I like to use perforated non-stick silicone baking mats for consistent heat distribution and even baking and browning. You can also use parchment paper.

Ingredients

Choux Pastries

• Water and milk - I like to use equal parts of water and full-fat, whole milk when making choux.
• Granulated sugar - Not many people add sugar to their choux, but its addition with salt really creates a perfectly balanced choux!
• Kosher salt - I always use Diamond Crystal's kosher salt. But if you're using regular table salt, I recommend halving the amount of salt called for in my recipe.
• Unsalted butter - Make sure your butter is at room temperature so it melts faster with the liquid mixture. If not, it will take longer to bring the mixture to a boil and time is of the essence!
• All-purpose flour - I have experimented with various flour types during the R&D stages of my choux baking. However, I found that all-purpose flour is the most versatile choice for choux pastry, providing a good balance of protein for structure and tenderness for the classic texture. It also allows the choux to rise and steam the best. Make sure your flour is sifted before using to avoid any lumps!
• Eggs - Make sure they are at room temperature, or you can leave them in a bowl of warm water for 5 to 10 minutes if you forget to do this beforehand.

Craquelin

• Unsalted butter - Make sure your butter is at room temperature so it can dissolve the sugar properly when creaming together.
• Dark brown sugar - My preference is dark brown sugar for a distinctive brown hue, but you can substitute this for granulated sugar.
• All-purpose flour - This flour is perfect for craquelin, thanks to its moderate gluten content. This allows the choux to rise properly without the craquelin weighing it down.

Vanilla Bean Diplomat Cream

• Egg yolks - Pastry cream conventionally uses egg yolks due to their higher fat content, which contributes to a deeper color, and a creamier structure. You can certainly substitute the yolks with whole eggs, but keep in mind that this will lead to a cream that is less flavorful and creamy.
• Granulated sugar - I used granulated sugar, but you can also use powdered sugar.
• Kosher salt
• Cornstarch - This is what separates pastry cream from a simple anglaise as the cornstarch will thicken and firm up the pastry cream.
• Vanilla bean - Vanilla extracts tend to have a weak, artificial flavor when it comes to pastry creams. If you can get your hands on some fresh vanilla beans, use those instead!
• Milk - I recommend full-fat, whole milk for that rich flavor.
• Heavy whipping cream - Used to make the whipped cream. The addition of this whipped cream is what will transform the pastry cream to a diplomat cream!

What is the Right Choux Batter Consistency?

The right choux batter consistency is so crucial when making choux pastry! The batter should be smooth, glossy, and thick enough to hold its shape when piped, but not so thick that it becomes difficult to pipe. How to know when you have achieved the ideal consistency:

1. The batter should have a smooth and glossy appearance.
2. The batter should be thick enough to hold its shape without being too runny. Piped choux should have distinct ridges without spreading too much.

Achieving the correct consistency often involves adding eggs gradually and assessing the batter after each addition. That's why I like to slightly beat all my eggs in a small measuring cup with a spout, and add in the egg mixture in three additions. Make sure to stir well between additions until the egg is fully incorporated. The batter might look like it’s curdled, but that is normal. Just continue to keep beating! You will know when the batter is ready when you lift the dough with a spatula and it hangs in a smooth inverted triangle shape (picture below). Bakers often rely on these visual and textural cues to determine when the choux batter has reached the optimal consistency for successful baking!

Also, feel free to omit an egg or add more if you believe the batter has attained the desired consistency. Eggs vary in size, and even different flour brands may absorb liquid at different rates. Adjusting the number of eggs allows for flexibility in achieving the most ideal choux batter texture!

How to Make Choux au Craquelin

Make the Diplomat Cream

1. Mix the yolks, sugar, salt and cornstarch - In a heat-proof bowl, mix the yolks, the last half of the granulated sugar, salt and cornstarch. Whisk until smooth and pale, about 2 minutes.

2. Warm the milk, vanilla bean, and sugar - Cut the vanilla bean in half and scrape the insides with a knife to release the seeds. Add both the pod and the seeds to a small saucepan with milk and half of the granulated sugar, and cook over a medium low heat, stirring occasionally. As soon as it reaches a boil, immediately remove the pan from the heat.

3. Temper the eggs - Slowly add half of the warmed milk to the egg mixture and mix evenly. Make sure you are whisking constantly! Then add the egg mixture back into the hot milk in the saucepan.

4. Cook the cream - For 1-2 minutes, heat the custard over medium heat while stirring constantly until the batter becomes thick and comes to a boil. When large bubbles begin to break the surface of the custard, lower the heat and let it continue to cook for another minute, whisking constantly.

5. Strain - Remove from the heat and run the pastry cream through a fine mesh sieve to remove lumps and any burnt bits from the saucepan.

6. Add the butter - Stir in the butter until melted.

7. Chill - Pour the finished pastry cream into a shallow bowl and cover the entire surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Once the pasty cream is at room temperature, refrigerate at least 2 hours before using.

8. Make the whipped cream - After chilling the pastry cream, set aside and whip the cold heavy whipping cream and sugar in a chilled metal bowl until you see medium peaks.

9. Combine the pastry cream and whipped cream together - Whip the cold pastry cream with a whisk to make it soft. Fold in only ⅓ of the whipped cream to the pastry cream in two additions, and mix evenly. Save the other ⅔ of the whipping cream for assembly.

Make the Craquelin

1. Combine all ingredients - With a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and brown sugar together until smooth. Add in the flour just until a dough forms.

2. Roll - Place the dough on a piece of parchment paper with a second piece on top. Roll it out to a thickness of 2-3 mm.

3. Chill - Chill for about 1 hour in the fridge (or 20 minutes in the freezer) until firm.

Make the Choux Pastry

1. Preheat - Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a baking sheet with non-stick baking mat or parchment paper. Using a 2 inch cookie cutter covered in flour, stamp circles leaving 2 inches in between each. 

2. Cook water, milk, sugar, salt, and butter - Add water, milk, sugar, salt and unsalted butter in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until it comes to a boil.

3. Add flour - Remove the saucepan from the heat and add in the sifted flour all at once. Mix until you see no lumps. This is called the panade.

4. Cook the panade - Return to the heat and cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. You should see a thin layer of film stick to the bottom and sides of the saucepan.

5. Cool - Transfer the dough to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat at medium speed for about 1-2 minutes to cool the dough faster. But if you don’t have a stand mixer, you can let it stand at room temperature for 5 minutes.

6. Slowly add the eggs - In a small measuring cup, slightly beat all the eggs. Add the egg mixture into the dough in three additions. Make sure to stir well between additions until the egg is fully incorporated. The batter might look like it’s curdled, but that is normal. Just continue to keep beating. You will know when the batter is ready when you lift the dough with a spatula and it hangs in a smooth inverted triangle shape.

7. Pipe mounds - Transfer the batter to a prepared pastry bag fitted with a round piping tip. Hold the piping bag at a 90° angle and pipe 2 inch mounds onto the baking sheet (using the traced circles as a guide). If you have leftover batter, wait until this batch is done baking to pipe more choux mounds on your second baking sheet.

8. Cut out discs - Take out the chilled craquelin dough and cut out discs using the same 2 inch round cookie cutter. carefully place one on top of each piped choux mound. Keep leftover discs in the freezer until you need them.

9. Bake - Bake the choux at 400°F (204°C) for the first 10 minutes, then decrease the temperature to 375°F (190°C) for the last 20-25 minutes, until the choux are puffed and deeply golden brown. Do not open the oven door at this time! Remove from oven when done and poke a hole on the side of each puff to release any extra steam.

10. Cool - Once done, let the choux cool on top of the stove while still on the baking sheet. Once cooled for about 10 minutes, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Assemble

1. Slice the tops - Using a serrated knife, slice just the tops of each choux. Using a wider end of a round piping tip, stamp the choux tops to cut out perfect circles.

2. Fill with diplomat cream - Fill each choux first with the diplomat cream, then layer with strawberries and blueberries.

3. Pipe and top - Pipe on the rest of the whipped cream on top of the berries. Then place the choux tops and top with powdered sugar.

Storage Instructions

• Storing
  1. Pastry cream and diplomat cream - Store these creams in the fridge for up to 3 days.
  2. Baked, empty choux - Store baked and empty choux buns in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 3 days.
  3. Baked, filled choux - Filled choux au craquelin should be consumed on the same day, but they can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Keep in mind that over time, they may absorb moisture from the filling and become soggy.
• Freezing
  1. Unbaked craquelin - After cutting out craquelin discs and letting them harden, place them in a ziplock bag and freeze for up to 1 month.
  2. Unbaked choux - Pipe the prepared choux batter on a baking tray and place in the freezer until completely frozen. Store the frozen mounds in an airtight container or ziplock bag for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, place a craquelin disc over each choux and let it thaw for at least 5 minutes before placing in the oven.
  3. Baked, empty choux - Bake and cool the choux completely. Freeze them in an airtight container or ziplock bag for up to 1 month. When ready to eat, reheat the choux in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 5 minutes until crisp, or thaw at room temperature for 10-15 minutes (they just won't be as crisp compared to reheating in the oven).
  4. Baked, filled choux - I do not recommend doing this!

Troubleshooting

My craquelin is too soft.

Craquelin softens very quickly, so you will need to work fairly quickly when cutting out discs. If you notice that the craquelin is getting soft, just pop them back in the freezer to harden for a few minutes before placing on top of the choux mounds.

My choux rose nicely, but then suddenly collapsed.

1. Excess moisture in the choux batter. This means that you either you did not dry out the dough enough when cooking the choux dough, or they were not baked long enough. 
   • Solution: When making the panade, make sure you completely cook the dough to eliminate excess moisture. Make sure to dry out the dough enough until it creates a thin layer of film on the bottom of the saucepan.
2. Underbaking. It must be piping hot the moment your choux pastry enters for baking.
   • Solution: I highly recommend getting an oven thermometer to make sure your oven is set at the right temperature! Bake until choux achieve a golden brown color and a firm exterior.
3. Opening the oven door prematurely. Doing this releases heat and steam, which disrupts the pastry's expansion process.
   • Solution: Keep the oven door closed during baking to maintain the correct temperature.
4. Not releasing the built-up steam after baking the choux. When choux pastries are baked, steam is generated within the dough. If this steam is not released through a hole (typically made by poking), it creates internal pressure. Without an outlet, the pressure can cause the pastry to collapse as it cools, unable to support the trapped steam.
   • Solution: Make sure to poke a hole on the side of each choux as soon as they come out to let the steam out.

My choux didn't rise at all.

1. Incorrect oven setting. Choux need a blast of high heat to create the steam. That's why they require a high initial oven temperature to rise effectively.
   • Solution: Start baking at temperatures ranging from 400°F for the first 10 minutes, allowing steam to build up inside the dough and create the desired hollow structure. Then the temperature can be lowered to around 375°F for the last 20-25 minutes.
2. Flour has not been cooked enough when cooking the panade. Choux pastry might fail to rise if the flour has not been adequately cooked, which prevents proper gluten formation.
   • Solution: Make sure your mixture of water, milk, sugar, salt, and butter reaches a boiling point (not just simmering) before incorporating the flour.
3. The craquelin layer is too thick. An excessively heavy craquelin can weigh down the choux pastry and prevent it from puffing up properly.
   • Solution: Make sure to roll out the craquelin to a thickness of 2 mm and not thicker.

My choux are soggy.

1. Inadequate drying of the choux after baking. If you don't completely dry out your choux during baking, the remaining moisture will humidify your choux, making them soggy.
   • Solution: To properly dry your choux, let the choux cool on top of the stove while still on the baking sheet. Once cooled for about 10 minutes, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely and to prevent condensation between the baking mat and the choux.

My choux have cracks.

1. Excessive moisture. This may result from a runny choux batter caused by adding too many eggs.
   • Solution: Make sure to add the eggs in multiple additions, and don’t add more until the previous egg is fully incorporated. Read "What is the Right Choux Batter Consistency?"
2. Not sifting the flour or not allowing the sugar and salt to dissolve completely. This can lead to an uneven and non-homogeneous dough.
   • Solution: Make sure to completely dissolve the sugar and salt with the butter and milk/water by stirring occasionally. Also, sift the flour and add it to the mixture after removing the pan from the heat.
3. The craquelin layer is too frozen. The extreme temperature difference between the frozen craquelin and the hot oven can lead to rapid expansion and contraction, resulting in cracks as the choux pastry tries to accommodate the sudden changes in temperature.
   • Solution: Allow your frozen craquelin to thaw slightly before baking.
4. Initial oven temperature could be too high. If the oven is too hot initially, the choux surface may set prematurely, trapping steam inside and leading to cracks as the steam tries to escape.
   • Solution: To prevent this, consider baking at a lower temperature in future attempts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do you use a mixture of water and milk for the choux dough? Can I use just water or just milk?

Actually, choux pastry can consist of water, milk, or a combination of both! I prefer to use equal parts of water and full-fat, whole milk. The water will allow the choux to be baked at a higher temperature while the milk will give the choux that beautiful golden color while also making it more stable. If you prefer to substitute with all part water or all part milk, that is fine to do. Just expect a different result!

Can I use cake flour or bread flour instead of all-purpose flour?

While it's possible to substitute all-purpose flour for other flours, it's important to note that the choice of flour can affect the texture of the final product. As mentioned above, I have experimented with various flour types during the R&D stages of my choux baking. However, I found that all-purpose flour is the most versatile choice for choux pastry, providing a good balance of protein for structure and tenderness for the classic texture. It also allows the choux to rise and steam the best.

Using cake flour may result in a lighter and softer choux pastry. However, it may also impact the structural integrity of the choux, potentially making it too delicate. On the other hand, bread flour has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour, and using it may result in a slightly chewier and more stable choux pastry. Although the additional protein can provide extra strength to the dough, it may not yield the traditional light and airy texture associated with choux pastry.

If you decide to make the substitution, consider adjusting the amount of flour or other ingredients to achieve the desired consistency. Experimentation may be necessary to find the right balance for your specific flour substitution!

Can I make the choux bigger?

Yes, but I have discovered that 2-2.5 inches is ideal. Keep in mind that choux pastries expand as they bake. So the larger they are, the higher the likelihood of them losing their intended shape when baked.

Do I need to make diplomat cream?

Nope! You can use a variety of filling options for choux by experimenting with alternatives to diplomat cream, such as whipped cream, flavored custards, fruit compotes, or chocolate ganache. Get creative with diverse fillings to customize the choux pastries to your taste preferences! Or you can even enjoy these hollow without any filling, whatever floats your boat!

Can I bake these ahead of time?

Yes, you can bake the cream puffs up to two days ahead. How you can plan:

• Day 1 - Make the pastry cream and transfer the pastry cream to an airtight container, covering the surface directly with a piece of plastic wrap. Prepare the craquelin and roll out into discs. Freeze until you're ready to make the choux pastry.
• Day 2 - Bake the choux, cool, and freeze them in an airtight container.
• Day of event/party - Make the diplomat cream with the chilled pastry cream. Reheat the choux in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 5 minutes until crisp, or thaw at room temperature for 10-15 minutes. Assemble your cream puffs with the diplomat cream and berries!

Recipe