Instructions

White Chocolate Pecan Ganache:

1. Toast the pecans in the oven at 325F (160C) for 10 minutes. Cool and then chop. Psst – you’ll be toasting pecans for the filling too in a recipe below, why not toast them all at the same time!
2. Place all remaining ingredients in either a double boiler over steaming water, or if you’re feeling crazy, directly in a saucepan on the lowest heat.
3. Stir constantly until the chocolate has melted and everything has come together. Stir in the chopped pecans and transfer to a bowl to cool at room temperature.

Brown Sugar Craquelin

1. Mix together all the ingredients in a mixer with a paddle attachment until a dough forms. Roll out between two sheets of parchment paper until thin about 1/8 inch thick (3 mm). If the batter doesn’t come together, it is because the butter is too cold. Either wait several minutes or place in
   a warm place, then mix again.
2. Chill in the fridge about 20-30 minutes, until cold.

Pate a Choux:

1. Preheat your oven to 375F/190C.
2. In a saucepan, add the water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt. Measure the flour and have nearby.
3. Heat the liquid ingredients over medium heat until it comes to a full boil and butter is melted, stirring as needed.
4. Take off the heat, and add all the flour at once. Stir strongly with a wood or plastic spoon until a dough forms. Put back on the heat and stir continuously for 30 seconds to 1 minute until the dough pulls away from the sides and a film forms on the bottom. Transfer dough from the saucepan to a clean bowl or a mixer with a paddle attachment. Mix several minutes on low
   speed until the dough is no longer steaming.
5. Add the eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. Check dough at 3 eggs lifting the spoon to see how the batter falls. It should be thick, silky smooth and fall in a point. If it is not, either add another full egg (depending on how the texture) or if just a little extra egg is needed, beat an egg in a bowl and mix in a little at a time. Check the texture repeatedly.
6. Transfer to a piping bag with a piping tip (12mm Round, Wilton 1A/2A, Ateco 806).
7. Pipe 12 rounds on a baking sheet lined with a Slipat or parchment paper. They should be about 2.5” in diameter and 1” tall.
8. Top with a round of chocolate craquelin. To cut the Craquelin, use round cookie cutters that are about 2 inches (5cm) in width.
9. Bake for 30-35 minutes (or longer! This depends on your oven), not opening the oven until you see they are nicely golden brown. Test for done-ness by picking one up. It should feel light and hollow.

Whipped Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Swirl:

1. Add all of the ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer and whip using the whisk attachment until firm!
2. Transfer to a piping bag with a star tip (I used one with short prongs called a French tip) and keep in the fridge.
3. Optional: Add a glug of bourbon or other spirit towards the end of whipping for a boozy frosting.

Caramel Topping & Caramelized Pecans:
(Before starting, make sure that your cream puffs are done and out of the oven.)

1. Toast the pecans in the oven for 10 minutes at 325F (160C). Set aside to cool.
2.  Set up a pan lined with parchment or a Slipat nearby.
3. In a small light-colored saucepan, add half the granulated sugar. Set on medium to medium-high heat and allow to cook and melt, without touching it.
4. When you see the top start to get darker in places, run a heat proof spoon through the mixture to move the sugar around.
5. Continue to do this and start to the remaining sugar in two additions. When most of the sugar has melted, stir continuously to help melt any remaining sugar lumps.
6. Take off the heat and carefully dip the top of the cooked cream puffs inside.
7. Place one pecan half on top as decoration.
8. Continue until all the cream puff tops are coated in caramel.
9. Put the caramel back on the heat, on low, to remelt anything left in the pan.
10. Quickly stir in the remaining pecan halves and pour out on to the prepared pan, spread them out as much as possible.
11. Let these cool completely and then roughly chop.

Assemble:

1. Cut the cream puffs in half width-wise under the caramel topping.
2. Transfer the white chocolate pecan ganache to a piping bag without a tip and cut a large opening (or just use a spoon to put it in the base of the cream puff).
3. Fill the bottom of the cream puff with the ganache.
4. Top with the roughly chopped caramelized pecans.
5. Swirl the Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Whipped Cream on top of this.
6. Then place the top of the cream puff back on.