Choux buns with craquelin and rhubarb jam
Ravneet Gill's classy choux pastry is filled with rhubarb jam and clotted cream, and topped with the sweet and crunchy cookie-like topping, craquelin. Just the ticket for afternoon tea.
You will need a stand mixer, 2.5cm–4cm/1–1½in biscuit cutter, sugar thermometer and a piping bag for this recipe.
Ingredients
For the rhubarb jam
- 475g/1lb 2oz rhubarb, cut into 5cm/2in pieces
- 350g/12oz caster sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
For the craquelin
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú demerara sugar
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú unsalted butter, softened
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú strong white flour
- pinch salt
For the choux pastry
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú unsalted butter
- 100ml/3½fl oz full-fat milk
- 5²µ/â…›o³ú caster sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú strong white flour
- 3–4 free-range eggs
To serve
- 250g/9oz clotted cream
For the rhubarb glaze
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú icing sugar
- drop red food colouring
Method
To make the rhubarb jam, put the rhubarb in a large, deep baking tray. Add the sugar and mix well. Leave to macerate at room temperature for a few hours and place a couple of saucers in the fridge, these will be used to test that the jam is setting correctly later.
Scrape the mixture into a large heavy-based saucepan. Stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Turn the heat up and rapidly boil without stirring for 15–20 minutes, or until it reaches the setting point of 104–105C, skimming off any froth. Place a spoonful onto one of the chilled saucers and put in the fridge for a few minutes. If it ripples slightly when touched it's ready, but if it's still running all over the place, then boil for a little longer and repeat with another chilled saucer.
Turn off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and let the jam cool briefly before decanting into sterilised jars. The jam will keep in a sealed jar in a cool dry place for up to a year. Once opened, keep refrigerated and use within a month.
To make the craquelin, mix all the ingredients into a paste and roll this between two sheets of parchment paper to the thickness of a £1 coin. Transfer to the fridge to firm up and then use a cutter to cut out discs of craquelin of 2.5cm–4cm/1–1½in. Set aside.
To make the choux pastry, preheat the oven to 210C/200C Fan/Gas 6.
In a pan, bring the butter, milk, sugar, salt and 100ml/3½fl oz of water to a rolling boil. Add the flour and stir continuously until the mixture comes away from the sides of the pan. Remove from the pan and place into the bowl of a stand mixer. Allow to cool slightly.
Lightly beat the eggs in a separate bowl. Gradually add the eggs to the choux dough, mixing with a paddle attachment until a dropping consistency is achieved.
Pipe the choux buns into litlle balls onto a tray lined with parchment paper, making each choux bun around 3–5cm/¼–2in diameter (depending on how large you want them). Top each choux with a disc of craquelin.
Bake for 20 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 190C/180C Fan/Gas 5 and bake for a further 10–15 minutes. Keep checking the choux and if it gets too brown, cover with some foil until cooked through.
Remove from the oven. Once cool, cut the choux buns in half, fill them with clotted cream and rhubarb jam.
To glaze the top, mix together the 1 tablespoon jam, icing sugar and red food colouring. Pour on top of the bun and allow to set before serving.