Light and crisp choux buns are a classic patisserie bake, but Ravneet Gill fills hers with the tropical zing of a refreshing fruity ganache, silky and rich with white chocolate – just the thing to conjure up some early spring sunshine
Technical bake.
A BIT ABOUT RAVNEET After completing a psychology degree, she changed career direction and went to study at Le Cordon Bleu before working for many years as a pastry chef in top restaurants all over London. Ravneet has written three cookbooks and contributed to many publications as well as appearing on numerous TV cookery shows. She also campaigns and holds industry events to promote healthy work environments in the hospitality industry.
THE RECIPE
Makes About 14 buns
Hands-on time 1 hour 40 min
Oven time 25-30 min
Specialist kit 4cm round cutter; piping bag fitted with a large round nozzle; small piping nozzle
MAKE AHEADThe ganache and choux pastry can be made in advance – keep both chilled until you’re ready to bake the pastry. Fill the cooked, cooled buns when you’re ready to serve – they can turn soggy if the filling is left inside for a long time.
KNOW-HOWCraquelin is a way of adding texture and crunch to choux – it melts in the oven and covers it with a crackled sugary coating.
For the craquelin
• 75g unsalted butter, softened
• 75g demerara sugar
• 75g plain flour
For the mango ganache
• 100g white chocolate, chopped
• 200ml double cream
• 200ml mango purée (or tinned
pulp, from supermarkets)
• 2 gelatine leaves
• 1 large mango, finely diced
• 3 passion fruit, halved and
pulp scooped out
For the choux pastry
• 50ml whole milk
• 100g unsalted butter, chopped
• 3g fine salt
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 120g strong white flour
• 4 medium free-range eggs
• Icing sugar to dust
1 In a bowl, mix all the craquelin ingredients with a wooden spoon to make a dough. Roll it out between 2 pieces of baking paper to 3-4mm thick. Transfer to a tray and chill for 1 hour or put in the freezer until firm.
2 For the ganache, put the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set aside. Gently heat the cream and mango purée in a pan until steaming. Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for a few minutes until soft. Pour the hot cream mixture over the white chocolate and stir well to melt, then add the gelatine and stir until dissolved. Leave to cool, → then chill until c
