This recipe really just came about because I wanted to make a Paris Brest, aka a ring shaped éclair. When I thought about my fillings, I decided to go with three in total. A yuzu Bavarian cream, homemade honeycomb candy, and honey mascarpone cream. I also made a honey-yuzu-bee pollen glaze, and infused the actual pate choux with bee pollen as well, just to make sure honey and yuzu were really utilized everywhere throughout this dessert. The inspiration to do yuzu and honey honestly came from my obsession with HoneyMee’s yuzu-honey affogato, which is freaking delicious by the way, so if you live near a HoneyMee, go try it and thank me later. This is not an advertisement or sponsorship, I swear. Though I would not mind if it was LOL.

For the pate choux:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup water
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon bee pollen
a pinch of salt
2 eggs

Bring water, butter, salt, and bee pollen to a simmer. Once butter has melted, stir in your flour and then take off heat. Allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes, or until lukewarm, then beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing until smooth. Transfer to piping bag. Pipe one 5 inch in diameter ring, then one inside the first, then one in between on top of the two. Repeat three more times. Bake at 400 degrees F for 22 minutes. Cool down and using a knife, cut the third, top portion off and reserve for assembly and glazing.

For the yuzu Bavarian cream:
2 egg yolks
3 tablespoons yuzu juice
1 teaspoon gelatin powder + 1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2/3 cups heavy cream, whipped stiff
a pinch of salt

Bloom gelatin in water then melt into the yuzu juice. Cream yolks with sugar and salt and temper with the yuzu mixture, whisking on heat for 2-3 minutes, then take off heat and pass through a sieve. Once the mixture is cooled down, fold in the heavy cream and transfer to a piping bag. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes to an hour.

For the honey mascarpone cream:
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup heavy cream; whipped stiff
a pinch of salt
3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon gelatin powder + 1 tablespoon water
3 tablespoons water

Bloom gelatin in water. Melt into honey, salt, and additional water. Whisk into the mascarpone cheese, then fold in the whipped cream. Transfer to a piping bag and refrigerate until it is time for assembly.

For the honeycomb candy:
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup
3 tablespoons water
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
2 tablespoons unsalted butter + more
a pinch of salt

Brush butter onto parchment. Bring honey, sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt to a simmer. Once the mixture hits 250 degrees F, take off heat, and stir in the butter first, then the baking soda. Pour the mixture onto the parchment and allow to sit for at least 1 hour before shattering into smaller pieces. Keep in an airtight container and do not refrigerate, or else the candy will melt.

For the bee pollen-yuzu-honey glaze:
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon yuzu juice
1 tablespoon bee pollen
a pinch of salt

Bring to a simmer, adding water as necessary, until the bee pollen fully dissolves. While the glaze is still warm, brush onto the sliced off 1/3 of the Paris Brest. Sprinkle on some of the honeycomb candy over that. Only do this step when it is time to serve.

Assembly:
Pipe in the Bavarian first, then the sprinkle in pieces of the honeycomb candy. Pipe on the mascarpone cream, then the sliced off 1/3 of the Paris Brest. Serve immediately.