Hi Everyone! Today we are making these cute “Totoro Choux au Craquelin”.
Choux au Craquelin is a dessert made with Choux Pastry, and topped with a thin cookie disc called Craquelin.
It’s only a little step up from classic Cream Puff.

In contrast to regular Choux Pastry buns, Craquelin adds a layer of sweetness and makes the Cream Puff delightfully crunchy.

That lovely, crackly top takes these Cream Puffs to a whole new level, plus the Craquelin helps keep the Cream Puff Crisp for longer, even when it’s filled with a filling. 

I’m using my favorite buttercream fillings which is light, creamy and not too sweet.
I find this buttercream absolutely addictive! 

Do whatever kind of designs you like!

Have fun getting creative with it!
Love you all! 🥰

WATCH HOW TO MAKE TOTORO CHOUX AU CRAQUELIN

TOTORO CHOUX AU CRAQUELIN
Yield: 10 pieces
Active time: 1 1/2 hour
Total time: 2 1/2 hours

INGREDIETNS
🍀 Craquelin Dough
40 grams Unsalted Butter
50 grams All-Purpose Flour
50 grams Granulated Sugar
Mint Green Food Colouring

🍀 Choux Pastry
100 grams water
63 grams Unsalted Butter
1/8 teaspoon Salt
75 grams All-Purpose Flour
Approx. 100 grams Eggs

🍀 Buttercream
270 grams Milk
4 ½ tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
270 grams Unsalted Butter
135 grams Icing Sugar
1 ½ tablespoons Vanilla Extract

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 200°C, put a tray at the bottom of the oven.
🍀 Craquelin Dough

1. Mix all ingredients together until it’s form a dough ball.
   Add some food colouring or flavouring (optional), mix until the colour incorporated.
2. Transfer the dough onto a Parchment Paper, and place another piece of Parchment Paper on top.
   Roll the dough for about 3 mm thick, freeze it for about 20 minutes to firm up a bit.
3. Take it out off the freezer, cut out it individual little disk (cut the dough with a round cookie cutter that slightly smaller that the size of the Choux Pastry).
   Let the little disk sit in the freezer while preparing the Choux Pastry dough.
   

🍀 Choux Pastry

1. In a sauce pan combine Butter, Water and Salt.
   Cook over a MEDIUM heat until the Butter dissolved and the Water stars to boil.
2. As soon as the Water comes to a boil, turn OFF the heat
   Add in the Flour in all at once; stir vigorously so that it absorbs all of the water.
3. When the Flour has absorbed the Water and it’s forming a dough, return the pan to the stove, then cook the dough on LOW heat for about 2 – 5 minutes (keep beating, cook until you get a dough that pulls away from the sides and leaves a little bit of the skin on the bottom of the pan).
   Take it off from the heat and let it cool down slightly for a few minutes.
4. Once it the mixture feels warm,
   With a wooden spoon, slowly pour in a little by little of the Eggs.
   Mix the dough while adding the Eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition (what we are looking for is we want the mixture to fall of the spoon within about 3 seconds and it should have slightly soft peak).
5. Once it’s done; transfer the dough to a pastry bag with a 1 cm round tip.
   Press the bag flat with hands to get rid air bubbles out.
6. Place the template underneath the Parchment Paper (it’s about 4,5 cm round diameter each).
   Don’t forget to give some space between them coz the pastry will raise pretty much later
7. Get ready for piping
   Hold the bag vertically, squeeze with even pressure (you want to pipe this pretty high).
8. Take your little Craquelin disk out off the freezer.
   Carefully place them on top of the piped Choux Pastry, press them gently (make sure they are in the center).
9. In the preheated 200° C oven, throw in some water to the tray that we’ve have been place at the bottom so it creates a steam.
   Put Choux Pastry in, close the door and drop the temperature to 160° C, bake it for about 35 minutes.
10. Once it’s done, turn OFF the oven, open the door slightly and let it sets in the oven for another 5 minutes.
    Then, take it out from the oven and let it cool completely on the cooling rack.
    

🍀 Buttercream

1. Mix the Milk and Flour until no lumps, then Microwave it in 20 seconds intervals or cook on the stove until it just become a paste, then set aside to cool completely.
2. In a large bowl, cream the Butter until it gets a really smooth consistency;
   Add in the Icing Sugar along with Vanilla Extract, mix well.
   Add in the cooled Flour Paste, mix until it’s incorporated.
3. Create Totoro or other design character that you like.

ASSEMBLE
Take one of our Choux au Craquelin, cut the top with serated knife;
Fill it with buttercream (or other fillings you prefer) then place your adorable character on top.

NOTES

1. For the Choux, there’s no the exact amount for the Eggs; You might need more or you might need less.
   The amount off Egg you use depends on the Flours (you might have different All Purpose Flour in your country which has different kind of absorption properties).
   If you add too much Egg and it’s too runny, then your Choux Pastry won’t raise
2. Do not open the door while baking, to prevent the pastries from collapsing.
3. These pastry can be kept at room temperature for 1 day and 3 days in the fridge.