Kim-Joy's honey crème puffs recipe

Details

• Cuisine: British
• Recipe Type: Baking
• Difficulty: Medium
• Preparation Time: 60 mins
• Cooking Time: 35 mins
• Serves: 35

Step-by-step

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/425°F/gas mark 7 . Line 2 large baking sheets with baking paper or silicone mats.
2. Make the choux. Chop the butter into cubes and add it to a small saucepan with the water and salt. Heat until the butter has melted and the mixture is starting to bubble. Meanwhile, combine both flours in a separate bowl. When the butter mixture is bubbling, remove it from the heat and add the flour all in one go. Stir with a wooden spoon until it forms a smooth ball that pulls away from the sides very easily.
3. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Leave to cool for 5 to 10 minutes. You can mix it on low speed to help cool it down faster.
4. Meanwhile, make the craquelin. Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl with a spoon until combined and spreadable. Add the flour (plus xanthan gum, if gluten-free) and stir to form a ball. Roll out between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and transfer to the freezer.
5. Return to the cooled choux mixture, adding two of the eggs, one at a time, whisking after each addition until combined. Whisk the third egg in a separate bowl and gradually add 1tbsp at a time, mixing well after each addition. You are looking for a glossy consistency that leaves a ‘v’ shape when a spoon is lifted out of the dough. You may not need all of the third egg.
6. Transfer the choux pastry to a piping bag and cut a large tip or use a large piping tip. Pipe 3.5 cm (1.5 in) blobs onto the prepared baking sheet, holding your piping bag perpendicular to the sheet and squeezing in one place. Remove the craquelin from the freezer and stamp out 3 cm (1.25 in) circles to fit on top of each piped choux. Place a circle of craquelin on top of each one.
7. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/gas mark 4 and bake for a further 15 to 20 minutes. Don’t open the oven during baking, to avoid the choux deflating. When the choux have finished baking, immediately turn them over and use a knife to pierce the base. This is so that the air inside has somewhere to escape. Leave to cool.
8. Meanwhile, make the honey whipped cream filling. Add the cream, honey, and vanilla to a large bowl and whip until soft peaks form. Be careful not to overwhip, as it will end up getting overworked as you transfer it to the piping bag and pipe. While whipping, gradually add very small amounts of food dye until a pale yellow colour is achieved.
9. Transfer around a quarter of the whipped cream to a piping bag and cut a large tip or use a large piping tip. Place a small amount of whipped cream into a second piping bag and cut a small tip or use a small piping tip. Cut the tops off each choux bun, fill with a mound of piped whipped cream using the larger bag, then use the small piping bag to add paws.
10. Place a small piece of slivered almond for the nose/mouth area and insert small, slivered almonds for the ears. You can use a small sharp knife to cut these so they are pointier and more cat-like.
11. Place the reserved choux lids back on top, then draw facial details onto the filling using a toothpick dipped into a very small amount of black food dye. Use a VERY minimal amount otherwise your cats will have big black and dripping eyes! These are best eaten the same day they are made. The black food dye will bleed into the cream once refrigerated, so it’s best to serve these straight away after decorating.

Recipe adapted from Bake Me a Cat by Kim-Joy (Quadrille, £16.99) Photography: Ellis Parrinder.