Recipe: pistachio choux buns

Pistachio craquelin-topped choux filled with pistachio crème pâtissière & vanilla whipped cream, served with dark chocolate ganache

Choux puffs in all their golden glory, with a cream-filled core and coat of chocolate ganache, are a joy to eat. These ones have a slightly crunchy exterior from a pistachio craquelin, and are filled with a pistachio crème pâtissière as well as vanilla whipped cream before being slicked with a thick, velvety dark chocolate ganache.

This recipe makes 7 generously sized buns, which would be perfect as a dessert for 7. Alternatively you could make smaller choux puffs and serve a few per guest. These are also a perfect dinner party dessert for the fact that the choux dough, craquelin and crème pâtissière can all be made the day ahead. The baking of the choux, prepping the whipped cream and chocolate ganache are all best made the day of eating, and filling of the choux buns preferably done just before serving.

If you did want to do more ahead of time, you could make the ganache, store it in the fridge in an airtight container, and heat it up in the microwave until pourable when ready to serve. Because of the craquelin, I find that the choux is best baked the day of eating, but if you wanted to make it a day ahead, you could forego the craquelin and store the baked choux, unfilled, in an airtight container.