Decadent vanilla choux bun

Bloom the gelatin.
Mix a small portion of the (cold) milk with the potato
starch.
Heat the remaining milk and vanilla paste to 185/195°F
(85/90°C).
Combine some of the hot milk with the milk and starch
mixture.
Put all the ingredients back in the pan and bring to a
boil.
Take the pan off the heat and add the bloomed gelatin.
Use a spatula to emulsify them together, then pour the
mixture onto the partially melted chocolate.
Blend.
Add the chilled cream.
Blend again.
Cover the surface with plastic wrap.
Leave to set in a cool place for 12 hours.

Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
Place the almonds in the oven to roast for 20 minutes.
This will enhance their aromas (as it would with coffee).
Pour the sugar and water into a saucepan. Cook over
medium heat (approx. 355°F or 180°C) until amber in
color, pour the caramel onto parchment paper and leave
to cool.
Once the caramel has reached room temperature, break
it up coarsely and place the pieces in a stand mixer.
Reduce the caramel to a powder.
Add the almonds, NOROHY powdered vanilla, and fleur
de sel to the mixer and blend to a paste.
Pause a few times to avoid overheating the almonds and
scrape the bowl’s edges.
Blend until smooth.
The praliné is ready! Store at room temperature in an
airtight container.

Bloom the gelatin.
Heat the milk to 140/160°F (60/70°C).
Mix in the bloomed and drained gelatin.
Slowly pour this onto the praliné, emulsifying them
together using a spatula.
Blend with an immersion blender until you have a
perfect emulsion.
Cover the surface with plastic wrap and leave to set at
40°F (4°C) for at least 12 hours.

Mix all the ingredients in the bowl of a mixer fitted with
a paddle attachment or by hand until the dough starts to
come together.
Rub the dough together in your hands on your work
surface, then roll it out to a depth of 2mm between 2
sheets of parchment paper.
Chill for at least 1 hour (or 15 minutes in the freezer).
Cut it into 4cm circles

(there will be some left over, but I recommend making
this minimum quantity so you can be sure it works. Piped
choux buns can be stored in the freezer very effectively,
either raw or baked.)

Bring the water, milk, finely cubed butter, salt, and honey
to a boil. It is important that the butter is completely
melted before the liquids come to a boil.
Take the pan off the heat and add the flour in a single
go. Mix until you have a smooth, homogenous, slightly
elastic mixture.
Warm the mixture on a low heat until it has dried out and
a thin layer sticks to the bottom of the pan.
Pour the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted
with a paddle attachment, or into a salad bowl. Stir (with
the paddle attachment or a spatula) until the steam has
completely evaporated.
Add the beaten eggs a little at a time, drizzling them in
a thin stream, until the dough forms creases that close
up slowly – this is the right consistency for choux pastry

Use the dough to fill a pastry bag fitted with a 10/12mm
plain round nozzle.
Preheat the oven to 340°F (170°C) (do not use the fan
setting).
Pipe the choux buns to a diameter of approx. 3.5/4cm.
Place a wafer disk on each choux.
Bake for approx. 30/35 minutes. The choux buns should
be very blond and almost golden-brown all over. It’s
better to have overcooked than undercooked choux.
Remove the choux from the oven, place them on a wire
rack and leave them to cool to room temperature.

Pierce the top of the choux buns.
Beat the whipped ganache until stiff using a stand mixer
or immersion blender.
Fill the choux pastries until two-thirds full with vanilla
whipped ganache.
Use the praliné confit to fill the space left in the buns.
Put the whipped ganache in a piping bag fitted with a
12mm plain round nozzle.
Pipe a generous scoop of ganache onto the choux.
Sprinkle the ganache with a little powdered vanilla.
Scoop a hollow in the center of the ganache using a
slightly warmed melon baller. Clean the melon baller in
hot water as you go from one choux to the next.
Fill the hollows with praliné confit.
The choux buns should be eaten as soon as possible.