Diwali Recipes 2025: Know How To Prepare Coffee Choux With Craquelin, Salted Caramel, And Coffee Crèmeux

(By Chef Sanaa Khattar)

This dessert is a refined homage to the classic French pâtisserie. However, it not only captures the romance of Parisian cafés but also introduces a bold modern flavor story. To elaborate on the latter, when the dessert is served, the first thing that hits the palate is the lightness of pâte à choux, which is then complemented by the thinness of the delicate craquelin that covers it, a light cookie crust that gets baked into a crisp, golden shell, providing the soft interior with a contrasting texture.

The other side of the dessert is the cream that represents heaven on earth, a silky, incredibly fragrant coffee crèmeux, and a stripe of salted caramel. The two fillings are so entwined that it is hard to tell which one is the stronger flavor, but whichever is the stronger, it would not matter since they are all perfectly balanced with a mild saltiness. Each mouthful transforms from a crunchy to a creamy, from a sweet to a bitter, from an indulgent to a refined one.

The use of traditional French techniques as the ground of the creation, precision of choux pastry to the emulsification of the crèmeux, brings together both craftsmanship and innovation. The dual-filling treatment gives a new life to the traditional choux by making it more layered and expressive, thus providing complexity in taste and texture. 

The Coffee Choux is inspired by the cozy tradition of pairing coffee with dessert and is not just a pastry; it communicates between the ordinary and the sophisticated. It calls forth the comfort of an early morning espresso, the sophistication of French technique, and the current quest for harmony in flavor.
The choux, a piece of art and precision, is the ideal candidate to represent the modern pastry made of the old world and no longer afraid to make a shock.

Sanaa Khattar is chef at CYK Hospitalities Pvt. Ltd.

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