Makes: 32
Time: 1¼ hours
Unlike the more common Cream Puffs, these are made with squares of puff pastry that are stacked with the filling and glazed with honey, so they’re incredibly flaky and subtly sweet (and they’re easy to assemble, too). The filling is infused with saffron, a mild and distinctive floral spice that’s ubiquitous in Spanish cooking, but swap in Vanilla Pastry Cream for a more classic flavor or branch out with some of the variations.
1. Put the cream and saffron in a saucepan over medium heat. Once it starts to simmer, remove from the heat, cover, and let steep for 20 minutes. Use a fork to strain out the saffron threads.
2. Combine ⅔ cup of the granulated sugar with the flour, cornstarch, and salt in a large bowl, then beat in the egg yolks until smooth. Slowly add half the infused cream, whisking vigorously all the while, then pour this into the saucepan with the rest of the cream and stir until combined. Cook over medium to medium-low heat, whisking regularly, until the custard is just about to boil, 5 to 8 minutes.
3. Lower the heat so that the mixture bubbles gently and cook, whisking almost constantly, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon; when you draw your finger through the coating, a distinct trail should remain. Stir in the butter and strain through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl, then press a layer of plastic wrap directly on the surface and refrigerate until cool or for up to a day.
4. Heat the oven to 400°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 24 × 12-inch rectangle that’s no more than ¼ inch thick. Cut it into 3-inch squares and place them about 1 inch apart on baking sheets. Beat the egg with 1 tablespoon water and brush a bit over each square, then bake until puffed and golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely.
5. To make the glaze, put the honey in a saucepan with ⅔ cup water and the remaining ⅔ cup granulated sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, then decrease the heat and simmer for a few minutes before removing from the heat. Meanwhile, split each pastry in half crosswise; spoon a generous dollop of the saffron cream, a heaping tablespoon or so, between the halves and close them like sandwiches. Spoon a thin layer of glaze over the tops of the finished pastries, then sprinkle with a generous layer of confectioners’ sugar. Serve right away.
FLAKY DULCE DE LECHE PUFFS This milky caramel is beloved in Spain and a natural, irresistible filling here: Simply use Dulce de Leche in place of the saffron pastry cream.
FLAKY PISTACHIO CREAM PUFFS Use a food processor to purée 1 cup pistachios into a paste, like nut butter. Omit the saffron and heat the cream on its own; as soon as it’s just barely simmering, remove from the heat and immediately use half of it to temper the egg mixture as directed in Step 2. Skip the butter and strain the cream, then beat in the pistachio paste and ½ teaspoon almond extract.
FLAKY ROSE WATER CREAM PUFFS Rose water adds a unique exotic flavor that pairs well with the original recipe or the pistachio variation: Stir 2 teaspoons rose water into the finished honey glaze. Give it a taste; if you like a stronger rose flavor, add another teaspoon.
FLAKY LEMON-GINGER CREAM PUFFS Bold, tart, and just a little spicy: Use a paring knife or vegetable peeler to strip the yellow zest from a lemon; add this to the cream in place of the saffron threads. Remove the lemon peel from the cream after steeping and before proceeding with the cream. Add ¾ teaspoon ground ginger or 1½ tablespoons minced fresh ginger to the saucepan with the other ingredients for the honey glaze. Mince ¾ cup candied ginger and sprinkle it over the pastries immediately after drizzling the syrup.
FLAKY MAPLE-ORANGE CREAM PUFFS Maple adds a distinctly American twist: Peel the zest (without the white pith) from an orange and steep it in the cream instead of the saffron. Substitute maple syrup for the honey in the glaze.