Craquelin

1. In a large bowl mix together the unsalted butter and granulated sugar using a silicone spatula until the mixture is smooth and silky.
2. Add in the all purpose flour and mix until the flour is fully incorporated.
3. Cut 2 parchment paper square sheets of about 20″ length and place your craquelin dough between them.
4. Roll the dough from above the parchment papers using a rolling pin until the dough is 2-3 mm thick.
5. Freeze the dough along with the parchment papers for 20 minutes or until it is firm enough to hold its shape.

Choux Pastry

1. While the craquelin is freezing, add water, butter and salt to a preferably nonstick saucepan. Place the saucepan on medium heat and cook. Keep whisking continuously when on heat. The butter will eventually melt. Remove from heat as soon as the mixture comes starts to boil.
2. Add flour into the hot mixture and mix using a silicone spatula until a smooth and silky dough is formed.
3. Return the saucepan to heat and cook the dough on medium heat for about 90 seconds or until not stick for a nonstick saucepan. Do not undercook the dough.
4. Remove the saucepan from heat and let the dough cool for 15 minutes.
5. Break the eggs into the mixture, one at a time and mix until they are fully incorporated.
6. The mixture should be of a pipable consistency. If the dough is too runny, let it chill in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes before proceeding.
7. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag and pipe in the shape of choux pastries (a small circle on top of a big circle). The piped pastries are approximately the size of a macaron. I usually pipe them on my macaron mat.

Assembly

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) for 15 minutes.
2. Take out the craquelin from the freezer and using a pastry cutter cut circles of the size of the piped pastry and place them over the piped mixture. Repeat for all pastries.
3. Bake the choux au craquelins for 20 minutes rotating halfway through.
4. Remove from the oven and let them cool completely before picking them up and slicing them.

Mocha Pastry Cream

1. Add the milk to a saucepan and heat over medium heat. Remove it from the heat as soon as it starts to bubble.
2. While the milk is being heated, in a separate bowl, mix the sugar, egg yolks cornstarch and salt. Whisk them together until you have a thick, smooth mix.
3. Slowly pour about half of the hot milk into the egg mix while whisking constantly to temper the egg mix and avoid any lumps. When the eggs have been tempered, transfer the mixture back to the saucepan. This is now our custard base.
4. Heat the custard base over medium heat while whisking vigorously until it starts to thicken, about 1-2 minutes. Remove mixture from the heat.
5. In a separate microwave safe bowl, add the chocolate and butter. Microwave the mixture in 20 second intervals stirring vigorously in between. Repeat until all the chocolate and butter have completely melted. Add this to the prepared pastry cream and mix well until combined.
6. In a small bowl add the espresso powder and cold water. Mix well to combine both. It is okay if the powder doesn’t completely dissolve. Add this mixture to the pastry cream and mix well until fully combined.
7. Transfer the pastry cream to a piping bag and let it chill in the refrigerator for atleast an hour or overnight before piping.
8. Slice the choux pastries horizontally and pipe the pastry cream in between.
9. Store choux pastries in the refrigerator for upto a week.