Saint-Honoré cake

Ingredients:

Puff pastry

• 1 sheet of puff pastry, defrosted
• Powdered sugar, for dusting

Profiteroles

• 400 g unsalted butter + extra for greasing the pans
• 600 g of premium flour
• A pinch of salt
• 12 large eggs

Sugar decoration

• 1-2 tbsp. isomalt

Custard

• 800 g of milk
• 200 g of heavy cream
• 1 vanilla bean
• 290 gr. granulated sugar
• 120 g egg yolks
• 100 g of premium flour

Whipped cream (Chantilly)

• 1 liter of heavy whipping cream
• 1 vanilla bean
• 100 g of powdered sugar
• Assorted fresh berries, such as blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries, for garnish
• Special equipment: 2 pastry bags (one with a large round tip, the other with a medium round tip)

Preparation:

1. Puff pastry: Preheat oven to 175°C.
   
   Place the puff pastry on a baking sheet and sprinkle with a little powdered sugar. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the baking sheet, cut out 8 circles, and set aside. Leave the oven on.
2. ProfiterolesIn a saucepan over medium heat, heat the butter and 1 liter of water. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and add the flour and salt, stirring until smooth.
   
   Return to heat and mix for 1 minute. Transfer the dough to the bowl of a stand mixer and let cool for 5 minutes. With the mixer running at medium speed, add the eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated. Transfer the choux pastry to a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip.
3. Place the dough ball on two greased baking sheets. Bake, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until set, about 25 minutes. Set aside to cool.
4. Sugar decorationPlace isomalt crystals in a large glass measuring cup and microwave in 30-second intervals until melted. Set aside.
   
   Let cool slightly, then dip a whisk into the melted isomalt and whisk gently to form long strands. Set aside.
5. CustardLine a rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap and set aside. In a large saucepan, combine the milk, cream, vanilla, and 250g of sugar. Bring to a boil.
6. Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks with the remaining 40 grams of sugar until light and fluffy. Once the milk mixture comes to a boil, stir in the flour, then add a spoonful of boiling milk.
7. Pour the egg yolk mixture into the boiling milk, whisking constantly; continue whisking until the custard comes to a boil. Immediately remove from heat and pour onto the prepared baking sheet; remove and discard the vanilla bean. Place the baking sheet in the freezer until the custard is completely chilled.
8. Whipped cream: Pour the cream into the bowl of a mixer.
   
   Add a few vanilla seeds scraped from the pod along with a spoonful of powdered sugar (the remaining vanilla pod is discarded). Beat until soft peaks form.
9. Transfer one-tenth of the whipped cream to a pastry bag fitted with a medium round tip. Pierce the bottom of the profiteroles with the tip and fill them with whipped cream.
10. Mix the custard with the remaining whipped cream to form a thick cream.
11. Assembling a portioned cakePlace a circle of puff pastry on each of 4 dessert plates, then add a little cream to the center. Top with berries and top with another layer of puff pastry. Place the profiteroles next to them. Pipe a little whipped cream on each pastry, add more berries to the plates, and decorate with sugar threads. Serve immediately.