This quintessential French pastry masterpiece combines the elegance of choux pastry crowned with golden profiteroles and the delicate sweetness of generous diplomat cream. A truly sublime confection that will impress your guests and delight even the most discerning palates.
⏱️210 min
📊Hard
👥8 servings
🍽️Dessert
festivefamily
Ingredients
250 gflour
150 gbutter
6 pièceseggs
500 mlwhole milk
200 gcaster sugar
250 mlwater
5 gfine salt
250 mlthick crème fraîche
100 gpowdered sugar
1 piècevanilla bean
150 mlliquid caramel
Instructions
1PREPARE THE SHORTBREAD PASTRY: In a bowl, mix 250g flour, 75g softened butter cut into cubes, 1 whole egg, a pinch of salt, and 50g sugar. Work with your fingertips until you achieve a fine sandy texture, then form a ball. Wrap in plastic film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This dough must be well chilled to facilitate rolling and ensure a crispy result when baking.
2PREPARE THE CHOUX PASTRY: Bring 250ml water to a boil with 75g butter and 5g salt in a saucepan. Remove from heat and add 125g sifted flour all at once, stirring vigorously with a spatula. Return to medium heat and stir constantly for 2-3 minutes to slightly dry the dough. It should form a smooth ball that cleanly pulls away from the sides of the pan. Transfer to a bowl and let cool for a few minutes before gradually incorporating 3 lightly beaten eggs, mixing well after each addition. The final dough should have a soft and glossy consistency, flowing but not liquid.
3ASSEMBLE AND BAKE THE SAINT-HONORÉ: Preheat your oven to 200°C. Roll out the shortbread pastry to 3-4 millimeters thick and line a 24cm diameter tart mold. Using a piping bag fitted with a smooth size 8 tip, pipe the choux pastry in a ring around the edge of the shortbread base, forming about ten small profiteroles evenly spaced and of equal size. Fill the center with the remaining choux pastry, forming a lower crown. Lightly brush with beaten egg using a soft pastry brush. Bake for 45-50 minutes at 200°C until golden and crispy throughout. The pastry must be completely dry and puffed.
4PREPARE THE DIPLOMAT CREAM: Bring 500ml milk to a boil with a split and scraped vanilla bean. In a bowl, whisk 3 egg yolks with 100g sugar until pale and thick. Gradually pour the boiling milk into this mixture while stirring constantly to temper the eggs. Return to the saucepan and stir constantly over low heat for 5-7 minutes until the cream coats the back of a spoon (it should not exceed 85°C). Pour into a bowl and cover directly with plastic film to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool completely. This pastry cream must be smooth, creamy, and lump-free.
5FINALIZE THE DIPLOMAT CREAM: Once the pastry cream is completely cooled, gently fold in 250ml of thick crème fraîche that has been whipped beforehand using a silicone spatula. Use upward motions to preserve the volume. The diplomat cream should be light, airy, and rich, perfect for generously filling the Saint-Honoré. Keep refrigerated until ready to assemble.
6ASSEMBLE THE SAINT-HONORÉ: Once the dessert has cooled, quickly drizzle liquid caramel between each profiterole, forming small droplets to create a shimmering decoration and light binding. Generously fill the center with diplomat cream using a piping bag fitted with a fluted tip, forming an elegant dome. Delicately dust with sifted powdered sugar just before serving for an immaculate finish. Serve chilled but not frozen, ideally 30 minutes after assembly.