Saint-Honoré Cake Recipe
Category: Desserts
Servings: 6
Preparation Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Saint-Honoré cake is a classic French dessert, revered for its delicate layers and rich flavors. It combines crisp pastry, airy choux pastry puffs, a smooth and creamy Chiboust filling, and a beautiful caramel glaze, making it an impressive treat for any occasion. This recipe breaks down each component into easy-to-follow steps, allowing you to create a professional-looking dessert at home.
Ingredients
For the Choux Pastry (Pâte à Choux):
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Water | 125g |
| Butter | 55g |
| All-purpose flour | 70g |
| Eggs | 2 whole |
| Egg yolk | 1 |
| Egg white | 1 |
| Sugar | 5g |
| Salt | 1 pinch |
| Powdered sugar | 20g |
For the Puff Pastry (Pasta Sfoglia):
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Puff pastry | 230g |
For the Chiboust Cream:
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Whole milk | 250g |
| Egg yolks | 6 |
| Sugar | 50g |
| Cornstarch (Maizena) | 25g |
| Gelatin sheets | 3g |
| Vanilla bean | 1 whole |
For the Meringue:
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Egg whites | 150g |
| Sugar | 100g |
| Water | 50g |
For the Caramel:
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Sugar | 150g |
For the Whipped Cream:
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Fresh cream (heavy) | 200g |
| Powdered sugar | 20g |
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Choux Pastry
Start by making the choux pastry, which will form the base and the puffed elements of the cake. In a medium saucepan, combine the water, butter, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Heat over medium-high until the butter has melted completely and the mixture begins to simmer. Add the flour all at once, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon to combine. Continue cooking the mixture for about 1-2 minutes until it thickens into a smooth, cohesive dough.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the dough to cool slightly. Once it is no longer steaming, begin adding the eggs one at a time. Add the first whole egg and beat the dough vigorously until fully incorporated. Repeat with the second egg, then add the egg yolk. The dough should be smooth, glossy, and sticky. Set this aside.
Step 2: Prepare the Puff Pastry Base
Next, prepare the puff pastry base. Roll out your sheet of puff pastry and, if needed, trim it into a circle with a diameter of about 22 cm (approximately 8.5 inches). Poke the surface of the pastry with a fork to prevent it from puffing up too much during baking. Place the puff pastry disc on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Step 3: Pipe the Choux Pastry
Fill a pastry bag fitted with a smooth, round tip (12mm diameter) with the prepared choux pastry dough. Pipe a ring of dough around the edge of the puff pastry circle. Then, pipe a second, smaller ring inside the first. Lightly dust the choux pastry with powdered sugar and brush the top with the reserved egg white, which will help flatten the peaks during baking.
Step 4: Bake the Choux Pastry
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) in a convection setting. Bake the choux pastry rings for 20-25 minutes, or until they are puffed up, golden brown, and crisp. Allow them to cool completely on a wire rack.
Step 5: Prepare the Chiboust Cream
While the pastry is baking, begin making the chiboust cream. Soak the gelatin sheets in cold water for about 10 minutes to soften them. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat until it just begins to steam. Split the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into the milk, discarding the pod. Do not let the milk boil.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth. Once the milk is steaming, gradually pour it over the egg mixture while whisking constantly to temper the yolks. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, whisking constantly until it thickens to a custard-like consistency. Remove from heat and stir in the soaked and squeezed gelatin sheets until they dissolve completely.
Allow the custard to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, cover the custard with plastic wrap directly on its surface and refrigerate for about 1 hour.
Step 6: Prepare the Meringue
While the custard is chilling, prepare the meringue. In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. In a small saucepan, combine the water and sugar and cook over medium heat until the syrup reaches 121°C (250°F). Gradually pour the hot syrup into the egg whites while continuing to beat on high speed until stiff peaks form and the meringue is glossy. Allow it to cool to room temperature.
Step 7: Combine the Meringue and Custard
Once both the meringue and custard have cooled, fold the meringue into the custard a little at a time. This will create the airy, light texture of the chiboust cream. Mix gently until fully incorporated.
Step 8: Make the Caramel
In a small saucepan, melt the sugar over medium heat until it turns a rich amber color. Be careful not to burn the sugar. Once the caramel is ready, immediately remove it from the heat and dip the bottom of the pan into a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process. Carefully dip the tops of the choux buns (puffs) into the caramel, coating them. Allow the caramel to harden for about 10 minutes.
Step 9: Assemble the Saint-Honoré Cake
Once the choux buns have cooled and the caramel has set, it’s time to assemble the Saint-Honoré cake. Using a pastry bag, pipe the chiboust cream into each of the caramel-coated choux puffs through a small hole in the bottom. Arrange the filled choux puffs around the outer ring of the puff pastry base, forming a crown.
Fill in the center of the pastry base with more chiboust cream, smoothing it into the gaps between the choux puffs. If needed, pipe additional chiboust cream on top of the cake for a smooth finish.
Step 10: Whip the Cream
In a mixing bowl, whip the cold fresh cream with powdered sugar until soft peaks form. Transfer the whipped cream to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Decorate the cake by piping the whipped cream along the inner circle of the choux pastry crown and in any remaining spaces.
Step 11: Final Touches
Finish the cake by placing one more choux puff in the center, using a small amount of caramel to secure it. Refrigerate the cake for at least 2 hours before serving to allow the flavors to meld together and the cream to firm up.
Tips and Tricks:
- Be patient when making the caramel. It can burn quickly, so make sure to keep a close eye on it.
- Ensure your custard has cooled to room temperature before adding the meringue; otherwise, it may deflate.
- To make the whipped cream fluffy and stable, make sure the cream is very cold before whipping.
Enjoy!
Your beautiful Saint-Honoré cake is now ready to be served! With its layers of flaky pastry, delicate meringue, creamy chiboust, and glossy caramel, this French classic is sure to impress your guests and make any celebration extra special.
