Croque en Bouche aux Fruits

Ingredients

Water

1 cup

Unsalted butter

1/2 cup (1 stick)

All-purpose flour

1 cup

Eggs

4 large

Whipping cream

2 cups

Powdered sugar

1/4 cup

Vanilla extract

1 teaspoon

Assorted fruits (such as strawberries, kiwi, and mango)

2 cups, diced

Honey

1/4 cup

Mint leaves

for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup of water and 1/2 cup of unsalted butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
3. Once boiling, remove from heat and add 1 cup of flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
4. Let the dough cool for 5 minutes. Then, add 4 large eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until the dough is smooth and shiny.
5. Transfer the dough into a piping bag fitted with a round tip.
6. Pipe small mounds (about 1 inch in diameter) onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the puffs are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
8. While the puffs are baking, prepare the fruit cream. In a mixing bowl, whip 2 cups of whipping cream with 1/4 cup of powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.
9. Gently fold in 2 cups of assorted diced fruits until well combined.
10. Once the puffs are baked and cooled, cut each puff in half horizontally and fill with the fruit-flavored cream.
11. To assemble, create a tower by stacking the filled cream puffs, drizzling 1/4 cup of honey between the layers to help them stick together.
12. Garnish the top with additional fresh fruits and mint leaves, then dust with powdered sugar for a beautiful finish.
13. Serve immediately for the best texture and flavor.