Croquembush with pistachio cream and berries

Cooking

Step 1

Preheat oven to 200°C.

Step 2

In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine water, butter, salt and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat. As soon as the mixture boils, reduce the temperature to a minimum and gradually, constantly stirring with a wooden spoon, pour the flour into the pan. Leave the mass on the stove for another 30-45 seconds, stirring constantly to evaporate excess liquid. At this point, the dough should look like a buttery smooth ball.

Step 3

Beat 2 eggs well and add them to the dough while beating it with a mixer. Add 5 more eggs to the mixture and beat until a smooth, uniform dough is obtained.

Step 4

Squeeze the batter onto the baking sheet using a pastry bag fitted with a simple tip. The size of the balls should be about 3 cm in diameter, and the distance between them should be at least 3.5 cm.

Step 5

Whisk 2 eggs with 3 tsp. water, grease the tops of future profiteroles to remove the "tails". Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes (do not open oven during this time).

Step 6

Remove profiteroles, pierce each top with a toothpick to release excess steam, put in the oven for another 5-7 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool completely.

Step 7

Heat milk with vanilla to a boil over medium heat. Remove from stove, let stand 10-15 minutes.

Step 8

In a bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar until light white. Add the corn starch, whisking vigorously until no lumps remain. ​Add ¼ cup vanilla milk to cream, whisking constantly. Add remaining milk, beat well again.

Step 9

Strain the mixture through a sieve into a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat, add oil, stir, let cool. Add pistachio paste to the cooled cream, beat the cream well.

Step 10

Cover the bowl with cream with cling film, pressing it to the surface of the cream so that condensation does not form, refrigerate for several hours (from 4 to 8).

Step 11

​Using a piping bag fitted with a cookie cutter, fill the profiteroles with cream through the bottom.

Step 12

​Dissolve the sugar in a saucepan of water, simmer over low heat until golden brown (do not stir at all, as this will cause the sugar to crystallize).

Step 13

While the caramel has not frozen, collect the croquembush: dipping the bottoms of the profiteroles in caramel, “build” a tower with a wide base, tapering upwards.