These puffs are super simple to make, and so satisfying to see coming out of the oven. Craquelin or sablage refers to the cookie that is baked on top of the pate choux. It is really gorgeous and I have used it several times throughout my recipes on this blog. Besides the craquelin itself, the recipe is a fairly standard pate choux, just filled with chantilly cream and garnished with some fresh raspberries. I made these in a demo as a part of a friend’s campaign to raise money for Coronavirus research, and it was a ton of fun to do them! They were a huge hit with my friends and family who actually got to try some, and within less than a day, we had finished two batches!

Makes 8 cream puffs:
For the craquelin:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
a pinch of salt

Mix ingredients together into a dough. Wrap with cling film and freeze for 20 to 30 minutes. You want the dough to be cold but not rock solid at this step. Dust a floured surface and roll out your dough. Cut out 1-inch circles. Keep in the freezer until it is time to bake your puffs.

For the pate choux:
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
a pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg

Melt water, butter, salt, and sugar in a pot and bring to a boil. Add in your flour first and mix into a shiny ball. Place into a bowl and allow your dough to cool down to room temperature. Whisk in the egg. Transfer to a piping bag. Pipe onto a parchment or silicone-lined baking tray in eight 1-inch rounds, keeping them at least two to three inches apart. Place your craquelin onto the pate choux. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes, then 325 degrees F for another 10. Allow the buns to cool completely before removing. If the craquelin manages to burn on the bottom, simply crack it off. It should crack cleanly and easily. Cool down completely before cutting off the top 1/5th of the puffs for filling them later.

For the chantilly cream:
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
a pinch of salt

Whip to stiff peaks. Transfer to a piping bag.

To garnish:
Fresh raspberries

Cut up some fresh raspberries and place inside of the cream puffs. Pipe in your cream, then garnish with berries on top.