Makes: 24 pastries • Time: 1 hour
Choux pastry is one of the essential doughs of French dessert. It’s the foundation of cream puffs, éclairs, beignets, and more. This version takes the classic cream puff dessert and turns it into an appetizer by replacing the cream filling with Roquefort cheese.
INGREDIENTS
- ½ cup milk
- 4 Tbsp. butter
- 1 Tbsp. Cognac
- ½ tsp. salt
- ⅔ cup flour
- ⅓ cup hazelnut flour (or almond flour; see Note)
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 4 oz. Roquefort or bleu cheese
- 4 oz. crème fraîche
- Maison Peltier honey
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a saucepan over moderate heat, bring the milk, butter, Cognac, and salt to a boil, stirring with a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat and add both flours all at once. Stir to incorporate completely. The batter should come together in a smooth ball and should not be sticky. Transfer the batter to a bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and allow to cool 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure the mixture is completely homogenous before adding the next one. The dough should be smooth and glossy.
4. Transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a tip. Pipe the choux onto the prepared baking sheet in small mounds about 1 inch apart from each other. Dip your finger in warm water and flatten the pointed peaks of each mound.
5. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 375°F and bake until golden, 5 to 10 minutes more. Remove from the oven and prick each choux with a skewer to release the steam. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool.
6. Meanwhile, make the filling by beating the cheese and crème fraîche together until smooth.
7. Slice the choux in half horizontally and fill the center with the cheese mixture. Drizzle with honey and serve.
Note: Hazelnut flour is easy to make yourself! Simply toast hazelnuts in a small skillet over moderate heat until fragrant, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a clean dishtowel and rub the hazelnuts with the sides of the dishtowel so as to remove their skins. Pulse the nuts in a food processor until they form a fine powder.
