Saint Honoré

Discover the history of Saint Honoré.

1. Vanilla pastry cream

   • 450 gr. whole milk
   • 110 gr. vanilla or white sugar
   • 85 gr. egg yolks (5)
   • 50 gr. butter
   • 21 gr. all purpose flour
   • 21 gr. corn flour
   • 5 gr. vanilla
   • 3.5 gr. gelatine

   • First, hydrate the gelatine in cold water for at least 10 minutes.
   • Heat the milk and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat until it comes to the boil.
   • Meanwhile, in a bowl, with a whisk, mix the cornflour, sifted flour, egg yolks and sugar until a uniform, lump-free mixture is obtained.
   • When the milk comes to the boil, pour it over the egg yolk mixture in a trickle and mix with the whisk, stirring constantly. Return the mixture to the heat and cook over a medium heat until the cream thickens.
   • When the mixture has thickened, turn off the heat, add the butter and gelatine and emulsify with a hand blender.
   • Transfer the custard to a bowl and cover with cling film in contact with the custard. Keep in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours until ready to use.

2. Vanilla ganache

   • 450 gr. heavy cream (35% fat)
   • 90 gr. white chocolate
   • 5 gr. vanilla
   • 3.5 gr. gelatine

   • Start by soaking the gelatine in cold water for at least 10 minutes.
   • In the meantime, put 150 g of cream and the vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat until it comes to the boil.
   • Then remove from the heat and add the hydrated gelatine.
   • Then, pour the cream over the previously melted white chocolate and mix it in.
   • Next, add the rest of the cold cream and emulsify the mixture with a hand blender.
   • Finally, cover with cling film and refrigerate until use, a minimum of 4 hours.

3. Craquelin

   • 50 gr. all purpose flour
   • 50 gr. cane or brown sugar
   • 40 gr. butter
   • 1 gr. salt

   • In a bowl, mix the sugar, salt and softened butter at room temperature.
   • Next, add the flour and mix just enough to combine.
   • Then, place the dough between two sheets of baking paper and smooth it with a rolling pin until it is approximately 3 mm thick.
   • Set aside in the freezer for at least 20 minutes until ready to use.

4. Profiterol batter

   • 100 gr. all purpose flour
   • 80 gr. whole milk
   • 80 gr. filtered water
   • 70 gr. butter
   • 50 gr. eggs (2)
   • 12 gr. white sugar
   • 2 gr. salt

   • Heat the milk, water, butter, sugar and salt in a saucepan over medium heat until it comes to the boil.
   • Then add the flour all at once and stir well with a spatula until it is integrated.
   • Then cook, stirring continuously with the spatula for 2-3 minutes over a medium heat until a thin crust forms on the bottom of the pan.
   • Now transfer the dough to a bowl and let it cool for about 10 minutes.
   • When the mixture has cooled slightly, add the eggs one at a time and stir them into the mixture with a spatula.
   • Put the batter into a piping bag with a smooth nozzle 1 cm in diameter and set aside until ready to use.

5. Assembly

   • 300 gr. puff pastry (1 sheet)
   • 50 gr. praline (optional)
   • 20 gr. powdered sugar

   • On a baking tray lined with baking paper or a silicone sheet, place the profiteroles about 2.5 cm in diameter, spaced 4 cm apart.
   • Now, take the craqueline out of the freezer and, using a pastry cutter, a glass or a cup, cut out discs of 4 cm in diameter. We need as many discs as there are profiteroles, but don't worry if there aren't enough for all of them, we won't use them all.
   • Then place the discs in the centre of the profiteroles and press down lightly so that they are well seated.
   • Bake at 175º C for 25-30 minutes and leave to cool at room temperature on a wire rack.
   • Remove the puff pastry from the fridge and smooth it out to a 3-4 mm thick sheet. Set aside in the fridge for about 20 minutes.
   • It is important to let the puff pastry dough relax for a few minutes after rolling it out with a rolling pin. This is due to the gluten in the dough, which will retract from the tension built up during rolling.
   • When the dough has relaxed, cut out a circle about 26 cm in diameter, pierce it with a fork and place weight on top to prevent it from puffing up during baking.
   • Now bake the puff pastry at 180° C for 40 minutes and leave to cool on a wire rack, uncovered, at room temperature.
   • When the profiteroles and the puff pastry have cooled, remove the custard from the fridge and put half of it into a piping bag with a nozzle for filling the profiteroles.
   • Fill the profiteroles with the cream from the bottom until they are almost full.
   • Then, optionally, put the praline in a piping bag without a nozzle and make a small opening by cutting the tip of the bag with scissors. Fill each profiterol with a little praline.
   • Now place the filled profiteroles on the edge of the puff pastry and sprinkle a little icing sugar over them.
   • Spread the remaining pastry cream in the centre of the puff pastry.
   • Remove the vanilla ganache from the fridge, whip it into stiff peaks and transfer it to a piping bag with a Saint Honoré nozzle.
   • Pipe a thin layer on top of the custard until it is about the same height as the profiteroles.
   • Finally, pour the teardrops from the profiteroles towards the centre in a clockwise direction.
   • Store in a cool, dry place until ready to eat. If not eaten the same day, store in the fridge overnight.

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