Recipe by chef Chuck Subra

Makes 8 servings

Pâte à Choux:

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 4 ounces butter
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 6 eggs

Cappuccino Crème Anglaise:

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso coffee
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

French Buttercream:

• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 6 eggs
• 3/4 cup butter
• 3 ounces praline paste

Italian Meringue:

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 7 tablespoons water
• 4 egg whites
• 4 ounces 10X sugar, for final assembly

Instructions for Pâte à Choux:

Combine water, butter, sugar, and salt in a pan. Bring to a boil. Slowly whisk flour into water and cook for about 2 minutes, constantly stirring. Place dough in a mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed, adding 1 egg at a time. Put mixture into a piping bag, fitted with a round tip. Pipe circles 5 inches in diameter onto a parchment paper-covered sheet pan. Sprinkle with blanched almonds. Bake in 350°F oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely.

Instructions for Cappuccino Crème Anglaise:

In a medium pot bring the cream to a gentle boil. Once the cream has come to a boil remove from heat. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until slightly thickened, becoming light yellow.Whisk 1/2 cup of hot cream into egg mixture. Whisk in coffee powder. In a slow, steady stream, gradually add the egg mixture to the pan of hot cream. Cook over medium-low heat, constantly stirring, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and reaches 170°F on an instant-read thermometer, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and strain through a fine strainer. Add the vanilla and stir thoroughly. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Instructions for French Buttercream:

Bring milk and sugar to a boil. Temper milk and eggs. Cream butter and praline paste and combine with milk.

Instructions for Italian Meringue:

Cook sugar and water until the temperature reaches 278°F.Whip egg whites to stiff peaks then slowly pour in the sugar water in a thin, steady stream while whisking continuously.

Assembly:

Cut cooled pâte à choux in half. Fold the buttercream and meringue together, using a rubber spatula. Place the mixture into a clean pastry bag and pipe a generous helping in the center of each half. Dust with 10X sugar.