Page 204 - Pie It Forward: Pies, Tarts, Tortes, Galettes, and Other Pastries Reinvented

4
. Poke small holes in the bottom of the choux puffs. Insert the open
tip into the holes and fill them with the lightened pastry cream. Set

these filled profiteroles aside on a sheet pan and refrigerate them,
along with the remaining lightened pastry cream.
5
. Gently spoon the unlightened pastry cream on top of the choux

rings, spreading it to the edges. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until
the pastry cream has set.

6
. Shortly before you are ready to assemble the dessert, make the
caramel as described in the recipe on page 36. Allow the caramel
to cool for 5 minutes and then carefully dip the tops of the cream
puffs in the caramel. Set them aside to allow the glaze to harden.

7
. Once the caramel coating has hardened, dip the bottoms of the
cream puffs into the liquid caramel to create an adhesive. (If the
caramel in the pot has hardened, gently reheat it over low heat until

it flows easily again, being careful not to burn it.) Place them along
the choux ring at the edge of the pastry round. Pipe the remaining
lightened pastry cream into the middle of the cake in a decorative
manner (there is a specific pastry tip called the St. Honoré that is
traditionally used to decorate this cake, but any beautiful piping will
do).

8
. Dip the ends of a sugar whisk (a ball whisk with the top cut off—see
Note) in the leftover caramel, or coat a small spoon with caramel,

then move the whisk or spoon around the perimeter of the St.
Honoré, spinning sugar on top of the cream puffs. Serve the pie
immediately.

OPTION!
A Paris-Brest is a cream-puff dessert made with hazelnut-praline
pastry cream and chopped hazelnuts. You can flavor the pastry
cream in the St. Honoré with ¼ cup (60 ml) hazelnut-praline paste,
added just as the cream begins to thicken on the stovetop so that it