Croustillant isn’t an essential item in making choux pastries; however, it delights many gourmands when there’s a streusel-like cookie topping to enhance an airy pastry like a cream puff. The crunchy-crackly shell it creates makes for a better mouthfeel. Plus, it extends the shelf-life of a pastry by slowing down the softening of a choux shell.
Poured fondant, our previous recipe that was posted for this choux series, focuses on decorating your pastries. Much like fondant, croustillant complements a soft pastry like choux. The crunchy top is a great accessory, giving a sweet treat a clean look or a punch of color, depending on how chefs want to showcase their confections.
Today, I’ve kept the streusel plain, knowing that I would be bathing the sesame and green tea choux in their corresponding fondants.
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