Cinnamon Roll Spiced Cream Puffs
This Dubai chocolate-inspired dessert is a cornucopia of tastes and textures. The baked pastry has a little bit of snap, the milk chocolate topping is rich and soothing, but the creamy pistachio namelaka is a revelation. Meaning "ultra creamy" in Japanese, namelaka is a favorite of pastry chefs around the world. This cream filling delivers silky smooth texture that can stand up to piping. We did make ours a little more loose than other namelaka mixtures; if you want it to stand up even harder, add just a bit more gelatin.
The puffy pastry is made with choux dough, or pâte à choux, a centuries-old European dough that is the basis for sweet and savory treats like eclairs and cheese puffs. It looks sloppy and wet when you start making it, but then it turns into a glossy, luxurious dough that's full of promise.
We served this with Cinnamon Roll Spiced Baklava and a Cinnamon Roll Café Mocha for an unforgettable dessert flight.
Preparation time does not include letting the pistachio namelaka cream sit overnight.
For the Pistachio Namelaka
6 ounces white chocolate (baker’s chocolate bars, not chips)
1/2 packet unflavored gelatine
1 ounce water
4 ounces whole milk
2 ounces pistachio paste
4 ounces heavy cream
1 Tablespoon Cinnamon Roll Seasoning
For the pâte à choux pastry
1/2 cup (8 Tablespoons, 1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
2 teaspoons Turbinado Sugar
2 teaspoons Cinnamon Roll Seasoning
1 cup (125 g) AP flour
4 large eggs, beaten
For chocolate drizzle
4 ounces high quality milk chocolate chips
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream
1. First, make the pistachio namelaka. Break white chocolate into small chunks that will melt easily. Set aside.
2. Mix gelatine and cold water. Set aside to let it bloom and become jelly-like, about 5 minutes.
3. Put milk in a saucepan. Heat it to a boil, then stir in the bloomed gelatin.
4. Pour hot milk over the white chocolate and stir so it all melts. Stir in pistachio paste to combine.
5. Add heavy cream and Cinnamon Roll Seasoning to the milk mixture. Beat thoroughly with a whisk or use a hand blender to combine and emulsify.
6. Transfer to a shallow dish. Cover with plastic wrap, with the plastic touching the namelaka to prevent a skin from forming. Place in the refrigerator to set up overnight.
7. Next day, make the pâte à choux pastry. Combine butter, water, milk, Kosher Salt, Turbinado Sugar, and Cinnamon Roll Seasoning in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring mixture to a simmer, making sure all the butter has melted. Stir in flour all at once, and keep stirring until fully incorporated and the dough starts to clump together. Mash dough out so it presses against the side of the hot pan for a minute, to just take the raw edge off the flour. Transfer to a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Let cool to about 140°F, so it does not cook the eggs when they are added.
8. Turn the mixer on and let it run on low. Add beaten eggs in 4 intervals, allowing for about 30 seconds of mixing time between each addition. Pour in the final amount of beaten eggs slowly, and watch as the dough becomes shiny, thick, smooth, and pipeable. Reserve about a tablespoon of beaten egg to mix with water for an egg wash.
9. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Brush the parchment lightly with water, to create a humid environment so the dough can puff up.
10. Transfer pastry to a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 1A piping tip. Pipe 2-inch mounds onto damp parchment, about 3 inches apart. You can dip fingers in water to smooth down peaked edges of the puffs or help shape into a ball if you made them too flat. Mix remaindered egg with some water for an egg wash and brush puffs.
11. Place in the hot oven and bake for 20 minutes. Without opening the door, reduce the heat in the oven to 350°F and bake for 10-15 minutes more. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
12. As pastries are cooling, make the chocolate topping. Put chips and butter into a microwaveable bowl or the top bowl of a double boiler. Start to melt together, stirring frequently. Add milk and continue to stir until glossy. If the chocolate seizes, keep over heat and add a touch more butter or milk until it loosens up again.
13. Use a paring knife to slice open the top of the pastries. Remove pistachio namelaka from the refrigerator and load into a piping bag. Fill pastries and reposition the sliced top over the cream filling.
14. Top with drizzles of chocolate glaze. Dust with more Cinnamon Roll Seasoning, and for a luxe presentation top with edible gold leaf.
