Festive Galbani Choux au Craquelin

Method

• 1 In a bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, flour, salt, and food colouring until a smooth dough forms.

• 2 Roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to about 1/8 inch thickness. Cut out circles slightly larger than the base of your choux buns.

• 3 Chill the craquelin pieces until solid.

• 4 In a saucepan, heat the milk, water, butter, 9g of sugar, and 5g of salt until the butter melts. Remove from heat and quickly stir in the sifted flour until a smooth dough forms.

• 5 Return the dough to the heat and cook, stirring constantly, until it forms a smooth ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan.

• 6 Pipe mounds of choux pastry onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, ensuring they are spaced apart. Top each mound with a frozen craquelin piece. Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) until golden brown and puffed.

• 7 Make the Clementine Gel: Simmer the clementine juice, lemon juice, 20g of sugar, star anise, cinnamon stick, clove, and agar-agar until thickened. Strain and cool. Blend the cooled gel until smooth.

• 8 Chill your bowl and beaters. Chill your heavy cream. Whip the cream until soft peaks form. Combine Ingredients: In a bowl, combine the mascarpone, whipped cream, mincemeat, vanilla, icing sugar and whip until soft peaks.

• 9 Fill the Choux: Once the choux pastry has cooled, cut each bun horizontally. Pipe a layer of festive filling onto the bottom half.

• 10 Top with Filling: Pipe a layer of festive filling onto the top half of the choux bun. Pipe a dollop of chilled, blended clementine gel onto the top of the choux bun.