Gâteau St-Honoré
Step-by-step preparation of the classic French dessert, combining a crisp pastry base, choux puffs, caramel, and diplomat cream.
Ingredients
Crisp tart base (chilled for at least 30 minutes)
as needed
Choux pastry (piped into a pastry bag)
as needed
Egg yolks (for egg wash)
as needed
Whole eggs (for egg wash)
as needed
Sugar (for egg wash)
as needed
Salt (for egg wash)
as needed
Water (for egg wash)
as needed
Vanilla diplomat cream
as needed
Chocolate diplomat cream
as needed
Granulated sugar (for caramel)
as needed
Water (for caramel)
as needed
Glucose syrup or corn syrup (for caramel)
as needed
Instructions
1
Prepare the tart base
Chill the crisp tart base for at least 30 minutes. Roll it out to about 3mm thick, cut into two 8-inch (20cm) round discs, place on a greased baking sheet, prick with a fork, and chill again
2
Prepare the egg wash
Mix egg yolks, whole eggs, sugar, salt and water until well combined to make egg wash
3
Pipe the choux ring
Brush egg wash along the edge of the tart disc. Use a round piping tip to pipe a 2.5cm wide thick strip of choux pastry around the edge, lightly brush with egg wash and flatten the top with the back of a fork. Pipe a small spiral in the center
4
Pipe the choux balls
Pipe choux balls about 2cm in diameter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, then brush with egg wash
5
Bake
Place all components in an oven preheated to 190°C (375°F) and bake until golden and puffed. The choux balls are done when they sound hollow when tapped. Let cool
6
Fill the choux balls
Select the 12-14 best choux balls, poke a hole in the bottom of each, and fill with vanilla diplomat cream
7
Fill the tart base
Spread a layer of chocolate diplomat cream on the bottom of the tart disc. Use a Saint-Honoré piping tip to alternately pipe lines of vanilla and chocolate cream to fill the interior, then chill
8
Make the caramel
Heat sugar and water until dissolved, bring to a boil, add glucose syrup, cook until golden brown, then immerse in ice water to stop the cooking process
9
Assemble the choux balls
Dip the choux balls in caramel, place them caramel-side down on a greased marble surface to cool. Reheat the remaining caramel, then use it to attach the choux balls to the edge of the tart base
