Ingredients

• 1 sheet (approx. 250-300g) Puff Pastry
• 100 g (for choux) + 50g (for crème pâtissière) Unsalted Butter
• 250 ml (for choux) + 50ml (for caramel) + 60ml (for meringue) Water
• 1 tbsp (for choux) + 100g (for crème pâtissière) + 150g (for caramel) + 150g (for meringue) Granulated Sugar
• 0.25 tsp Salt
• 150 g (for choux) All-Purpose Flour
• 3 whole (for choux) + 4 yolks (for crème pâtissière) + 3 whites (for meringue) Large Eggs
• 500 ml Whole Milk
• 1 pod (or 2 tsp vanilla extract) Vanilla Bean
• 40 g Cornstarch
• 2 sheets (or 4g powdered gelatin) Gelatin Sheets
• 250 ml (for decoration) Heavy Whipping Cream
• 2 tbsp (optional, for whipped cream) Powdered Sugar

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Roll 1 sheet puff pastry into a 22cm (9-inch) circle. Prick well, place on parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden. Cool completely.

2. 2

   In a saucepan, combine 100g butter, 250ml water, 1 tbsp sugar, and 1/4 tsp salt; bring to a rolling boil. Remove from heat, add 150g flour all at once, stirring vigorously until a dough ball forms. Return to low heat, cook 1-2 minutes, stirring, to dry the dough. Transfer to a bowl and cool for 5 minutes.

3. 3

   Beat 3 eggs, one at a time, into the choux dough until smooth and glossy. Pipe 15-20 small (2-3cm) buns onto a parchment-lined sheet. Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 25-30 minutes until golden. Turn off oven, prop door open, and cool buns inside for 10 minutes to prevent collapsing. Cool completely.

4. 4

   Heat 500ml milk with vanilla bean (or extract) to a simmer. Whisk 4 egg yolks, 100g sugar, and 40g cornstarch until pale. Slowly temper hot milk into egg mixture, then return to saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat, stir in 50g butter, and remove vanilla bean. Cover surface with plastic wrap and chill completely (min. 1 hour).

5. 5

   Soften 2 gelatin sheets in cold water (or bloom 4g powdered gelatin in 2 tbsp cold water). In a small saucepan, heat 150g sugar and 60ml water without stirring until 118°C (244°F). Separately, whisk 3 egg whites to soft peaks. Slowly pour hot syrup into egg whites, whisking continuously until stiff, glossy peaks form (Italian meringue). Squeeze gelatin sheets (or melt bloomed powder) and stir into chilled crème pâtissière. Gently fold in the Italian meringue until airy. Transfer to a piping bag.

6. 6

   In a clean, dry saucepan, combine 150g sugar and 50ml water. Cook over medium-high heat without stirring until a rich amber caramel forms. Remove from heat immediately.

7. 7

   Dip the top of each cooled choux bun into the hot caramel. Quickly attach them, caramel-side up, around the edge of the cooled puff pastry base. Let caramel set. Pipe the Chiboust cream into the center of the puff pastry base in elegant swirls.

8. 8

   Whip 250ml heavy cream (with 2 tbsp powdered sugar, if desired) to medium-stiff peaks. Pipe or spread decoratively over the Chiboust cream. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.