Toasted flour choux with date filling and tahini cream
A real showstopper dessert, tasty choux pastry pieces are stuffed with a rich date filling and topped with candied orange.
Ingredients
For the toasted flour choux
- 125²µ/4½´Ç³ú plain flour
- 115g/4oz unsalted butter
- 20²µ/1¾´Ç³ú caster sugar
- 1g salt
- 4–5 large free-range eggs
For the craquelin
- 30g/1oz unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 30g/1oz brown sugar
- 30g/1oz plain flour
- sprinkle rose powder (optional)
For the date filling
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú unsalted butter (or any nut butter)
- 200g/7oz pitted dates (pitted weight)
- 150ml/5½fl oz hot water
For the tahini yoghurt cream
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú tahini
- 30g/1oz caster sugar
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú plain yoghurt
- 200ml/7fl oz whipping cream
- sprinkle cinnamon
For the candied orange
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú caster sugar
- thinly sliced peel of 1 orange
Method
To make the choux, toast the flour in a small saucepan, constantly mixing until golden in colour. Leave to cool. Place 240ml/8½fl oz water, butter, sugar and salt in a saucepan. Stir over a medium heat until everything has dissolved and the mixture is steaming. Take off the heat, sieve in the toasted flour and mix well. Place the saucepan over a medium heat again and keep mixing with a spatula for about 5 minutes or until it forms a ball.
In a stand mixer using a paddle attachment, mix the dough on low for 2–3 minutes until it cools down. Add the eggs one at a time until fully combined. The dough is ready when it becomes glossy and forms a V-shape when the paddle is lifted. Transfer the dough to a piping bag and leave to chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
To make the craquelin, cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl. Add the flour and mix well with a spatula, along with the rose powder if using. Place the craquelin mixture between two sheets of baking paper and roll out to a thickness of about 2mm. Freeze the sheet for at least 1 hour.
To make the date filling, heat the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat until it smells nutty and is browned. Put the dates, water and browned butter in a blender or a food processor. Blend until the filling is smooth and resembles caramel. Transfer to a piping bag and chill in the fridge until needed.
To make the cream, whisk the tahini, sugar, yoghurt and cinnamon in a mixer until smooth. Add the cream and whisk on high until whipped.
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Pipe the choux onto a non-stick baking mat or baking paper to your desired size (for bite-sized choux, pipe 5cm/2in pieces). Cut out pieces of the craquelin with a cookie cutter that are the same size as the choux pieces. Place the craquelin on top of the choux. Bake for 30–35 minutes (do not open the oven or it could fail to rise). Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a rack.
To make the candied orange, place the sugar and orange peel together with 100ml/3½fl oz water in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil, then remove from the heat and allow to cool until needed.
To assemble, cut the tops off the choux pieces. Fill the bottom halves with the date filling and top with the tahini cream. Replace the tops of the choux pieces and garnish with the candied orange.