St Patrick’s Day Pistachio Choux Bun Recipe!

Caitlin Lopes the Pastry Chef at the Grand Central Hotel Belfast, shares her delicious  choux bun recipe with a pistachio diplomat and brown sugar craquelin ahead of St Patrick’s Day. What better way to celebrate St Patricks’ than by challenging yourself to recreate these delicious choux buns for your family!

Following 13 years of experience in the industry, Caitlin specialises in the art of pastry making. Caitlin, who specialises in afternoon teas and a la carte desserts, has also worked on the World’s Best Cruiseline, Seabourn, and has a VRQ diploma in cookery.

Use Caitlin’s recipe below to recreate these tasty choux buns, perfect for Paddy’s Day!

Brown sugar craquelin recipe 

75g butter (soft)

90g soft light brown sugar

85g plain flour

Green food colouring (or desired colour)

 

Method

Beat butter and sugar till smooth

Add flour and food colouring (add food colouring bit by bit until you get your desired colour)

Let rest for at 30 minutes

Lightly flour your bench and roll your craquelin until approx 2-3mm thick

Cut to desired size and keep in fridge until required

 

 

Choux recipe 

125ml milk

125ml water

125g butter

Pinch of salt

10g sugar

245g eggs (lightly beaten)

160g strong flour (sieved)

 

Method 

Put oven on at 170oc fan assisted

Place milk, water, butter, salt and sugar into a wide based pan and bring to a simmer

Add in sieved flour, keep mixing vigorously with a wooden spoon (do not leave as this will stick) until your dough comes away from the sides of the pan. This should be a one piece formed dough.

Let your dough cool for 5 to 7 minutes before gradually adding in your eggs bit by bit. Ensure when each bit of egg is added that it has been fully mixed into your dough before adding any more. You should end up with a smooth glossy dough (thick dropping consistency)

Pipe mixture onto a baking tray lined with baking parchment and top with craquelin (you want your craquelin to be a few centimetres bigger than your piped choux)

Bake at 170oc for 15-20 minutes then lower your oven to 130oc and cook for a further 15 minutes.

 

Pistachio diplomat recipe 

125ml whole milk

125ml double cream

1tsp vanilla bean paste

45g egg yolk

40g caster sugar

20g plain flour

10g cornflour

30g pistachio paste

1 leaf gelatine (soaked in ice cold water)

85g semi whipped double cream

 

Method

Heat milk, cream, vanilla and pistachio paste to a simmer

Whisk egg yolks sugar and flours

Gradually pour cream mix over egg mix continuously whisking

Place back on the heat and keep whisking (do not leave it or it will scramble) until you can make a figure of 8

Whisk in gelatine

Set over ice

Once set smooth with a spatula

When smooth lightly fold in semi whipped cream and place in the fridge for approximately 20 minutes

Pipe into choux buns (whichever way suits you best!)

Enjoy with some hot chocolate sauce!