Saint-Honore

Method

Prepare puff pastry base: roll 250g puff pastry to 3mm thickness, cut 22cm circle, place on baking parchment on tray, dock surface, chill 30 minutes. Make choux: bring 250ml water, 100g butter, 2g salt to rolling boil; remove from heat, stir in 130g flour until smooth; cool 5 minutes; gradually beat in 4 eggs one at a time until glossy. Transfer to piping bag with 12mm nozzle. Pipe 1.5cm balls around puff pastry circumference (20-24 profiteroles), plus 20 extra on separate tray. Bake base tray at 200C fan for 25-28 minutes until profiteroles golden and dry inside (40 minutes for extra profiteroles). Cool completely. Make crème diplomat: heat 250ml milk to 65C; whisk 5 egg yolks with 60g sugar until pale; whisk in 20g flour and 20g cornflour; temper yolks by slowly whisking in hot milk; return to pan, cook stirring constantly until 82C, simmering 2 minutes; pass through sieve, add 5ml vanilla; chill to 20C; whip 250ml double cream to soft peaks; soak 2g gelatine in cold water, warm gently, fold into pastry cream, fold in whipped cream. Make caramel: heat 200g sugar with 50ml water to 160C (amber, without stirring); dip profiterole bottoms in caramel, seal to base and stack in crown shape; repeat on extra profiteroles for decoration. Fill centre with crème diplomat using piping bag. Chill 4 hours before serving.