Tiramichoux (Tiramisu Cream Puffs)

Preparation

• Mascarpone Crème Anglaise

  • In a pot, combine the 35% cream, coffee beans and vanilla. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat. Cover and infuse for 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, in a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the water. Let bloom for 5 minutes.
  • In another bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and egg yolks for 1 minute or until the mixture is pale and smooth. Place a sieve over the egg mixture. Strain the coffee cream through the sieve and immediately mix it into the egg mixture. Compost the coffee beans. Pour the mixture back into the same pot.
  • Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon and scraping the bottom and sides of the pot, until the mixture just starts to boil and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
  • Add the gelatin mixture and stir until completely dissolved. Pour into a bowl and let cool. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or until completely chilled. The pastry cream will keep for 3 days in the refrigerator.

• Craquelin Topping

  • Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine all of the ingredients with an electric mixer until smooth. Using a rolling pin, roll the mixture out between two sheets of parchment paper until 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick.
  • Remove the top sheet of parchment paper. Using a 3-inch (7.5 cm) round cookie cutter, cut out 12 circles of craquelin (see note). Repeat with the scraps as needed. Slide the parchment paper with the circles of craquelin onto a baking sheet. Set aside in the freezer while you prepare the choux pastry.

• Choux Pastry

  • With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
  • In a pot, bring the water, milk, butter, brown sugar and salt to a boil. Remove from the heat. Add the flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms into a smooth ball that pulls away from the sides of the pot, about 2 minutes.
  • Return the pot to medium heat and cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes to dry out the dough. Transfer to a bowl or into the bowl of a stand mixer.
  • Using a wooden spoon or a flat whisk, mix the dough for 3 minutes to cool and to draw out the humidity. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition, until the mixture is shiny and smooth.
  • Transfer the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a ½-inch (1.5 cm) plain tip. On the baking sheet, pipe twelve 2-inch (5 cm) round cream puffs, evenly spacing them out (see note). Wash out the pastry tip.
  • Place a circle of craquelin over each puff, without crushing them. Freeze at this point, if desired (see note).
  • Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (180°C) and bake for another 15 minutes or until the puffs are nicely browned. Remove from the oven. Let cool completely on the baking sheet, about 1 hour.

• Assembly

  • Gently pierce the bottoms of the cooled cream puffs with the clean pastry tip.
  • In a bowl, whisk the chilled crème anglaise with an electric mixer until smooth and slightly increased in volume, about 2 minutes. Add the mascarpone and continue to whisk until semi-stiff peaks form. Transfer the cream into a pastry bag with the same clean tip. Pipe the crème anglaise into the holes in the bottom of the cream puffs.
  • Using a sieve, sprinkle the cream puffs with cocoa powder. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Once garnished, the cream puffs are best enjoyed the same day they are made, but they will keep for 1 day in an airtight container in the refrigerator.