Choux pastry

1. Bring butter, water, milk, salt and sugar to a boil.

2. Add flour all at once and stir vigourousely until a smooth dough forms and pulls away from the pan. A thin film will form at the bottom of the pan. Stir for about 3 minutes.

3. Transfer to a bowl and let cool 3-5 minutes

4. Beat in eggs, gradually until the dough is smooth, glossy and pipeable (it should fall from the spatula in a soft "V" shape.) You might not need all of the eggs.

5. Pipe into a silcone half-sphere mold

6. Freeze until complelty solid, a few hours, or overnight.

7. Unmold frozen domes into the prepared baking tray

8. Top each with a frozen craqueline disc.

9. Depending on the size of the choux, bake for 40-50 minutes., maybe longer. They should be deep golden, light and hollow. Be careful not to open the oven door for the first 30 minutes.

10. Turn off the heat and let the choux stay in the oven for another 10-15 minutes with the door craced open. This will help to further dry out the shells.

11. Cool completely

Craqueline

1. Combine butter and brown sugar until smooth.

2. Add flour and salt.

3. Mix just until a uniform dough forms.

4. Do not overwork.

5. Place dough between two sheets of parchment, or silicon mats.

6. Roll to 2-3 mm thickness (important for clean cracking).

7. Freeze flat until firm but not brittle (20-30 minutes).

8. Cut circles a little bit larger than your choux.

9. Place back in the freezer until ready to use.

Fragipane

1. Cream butter and sugar until smooth.

2. Mix in almond flour and corn starch.

3. Add egg, salt, vanilla, cardamom, and almond extract.

4. Chill 20-30 minutes to firm slightly.

5. Gently fold in lightly whipped whipped cream, until smooth and pipeable.

6. Chill briefly if needed.

Almond Praline Crunch

1. Toast almonds lightly (300°F for ~10 minutes); let cool

2. In a dry pan, melt sugar to an amber caramel.

3. Stir in almonds and salt

4. Spread thin on parchment and let cool completly

5. Cut into nice size crumble

6. Fold in a small amount of finely chopped almonds for extra visual texture. 

Stabilized whipped cream

1. Bloom gelating in cold water for 5 minutes. Gently melt until just liquid (do not boil).

2. Whip remaining cream with powdered sugar and vanilla to soft peaks.

3. Stir 2-3 tablespoons of cold crem into the melted gelatin to cool (temper) it slightly.

4. With the mixer running on low, slowly drizzle the tempered gelatin into the whipped cream.

5. Increase speed and whip to medium peaks. Use immedately or chill briefly.

Assembly

1. Cut a lid from the top of each choux bun.

2. Hollow slightly to make room for filling.

3. Pipe fragipane cream into the base.

4. Sprinkle a thin layer of almond praline crunch on top of the fragipane.

5. Pipe stabilized whipped cream generously.

6. Replace the lid.

7. Finish with a light dusting of powdered sugar.