How to Make a Classic Gâteau Saint-Honoré with Choux Pastry

Simple Summary

Gâteau Saint-Honoré is a stunning French pastry that combines crisp puff pastry, delicate choux puffs, and luscious cream filling for an elegant and impressive dessert.

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 4 hours (including chilling)
• Servings: 8-10
• Difficulty: Advanced

Ingredients

For the Puff Pastry Base:

• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

For the Choux Pastry:

• 1/2 cup (120ml) water
• 1/2 cup (120ml) milk
• 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs

For the Pastry Cream:

• 2 cups (480ml) whole milk
• 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (30g) cornstarch
• 4 large egg yolks
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter

For the Caramel:

• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (60ml) water

For the Whipped Cream:

• 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. For the puff pastry base:

   • Roll out the thawed puff pastry and cut an 8-inch circle.
   • Place on a prepared baking sheet and refrigerate until needed.

3. For the choux pastry:

   • In a medium saucepan, combine water, milk, butter, and salt. Bring to a boil.
   • Remove from heat and quickly stir in flour until a smooth dough forms.
   • Return to low heat and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
   • Transfer to a mixing bowl and let cool for 5 minutes.
   • Beat in eggs one at a time until the dough is smooth and glossy.

4. Pipe the choux pastry:

   • Transfer the choux pastry to a piping bag with a round tip.
   • Pipe a ring around the edge of the puff pastry circle.
   • On the second baking sheet, pipe about 20 small puffs (1-inch diameter).

5. Bake:

   • Bake the puff pastry base with the choux ring for 25-30 minutes.
   • Bake the small puffs for 20-25 minutes, until golden and crisp.
   • Allow all pastry to cool completely.

6. Make the pastry cream:

   • In a saucepan, heat milk until steaming.
   • In a bowl, whisk sugar, cornstarch, and egg yolks.
   • Slowly whisk hot milk into the egg mixture, then return to the saucepan.
   • Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened.
   • Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and butter. Cool completely.

7. Assemble:

   • Fill the small choux puffs with pastry cream.
   • Spread remaining pastry cream over the puff pastry base.

8. Make the caramel:

   • In a small saucepan, heat sugar and water until amber-colored.
   • Carefully dip the filled puffs in caramel and arrange on the cream-covered base.

9. Finish and decorate:

   • Whip the cream with powdered sugar and vanilla.
   • Pipe whipped cream decoratively on top of the gâteau.
   • Drizzle any remaining caramel for decoration.

10. Chill the gâteau for at least 2 hours before serving.

Chef's Notes

• For best results, make the pastry cream a day ahead to allow it to chill thoroughly.
• Be extremely careful when working with hot caramel as it can cause severe burns.
• If you don't have a piping bag, you can use a zip-top bag with a corner snipped off.
• The gâteau is best eaten on the day it's made, but can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Nutritional Info

Per serving (based on 10 servings): Approximately 450 calories, 30g fat, 40g carbohydrates, 8g protein. This dessert is rich in calcium from the dairy ingredients and provides some vitamin A from the egg yolks.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this Gâteau Saint-Honoré as the centerpiece of a special dessert course. It pairs wonderfully with a glass of sweet dessert wine like Sauternes or a cup of strong coffee. For a beautiful presentation, dust the plate with powdered sugar and garnish with fresh berries or edible flowers. This dessert is perfect for celebrations, dinner parties, or any occasion where you want to impress with your pastry skills.