This elegant Chocolate Hazelnut Choux Crown features crisp, golden choux pastry filled with a silky hazelnut mascarpone cream and finished with rich dark chocolate and crunchy caramelized hazelnuts. It’s an impressive European-style dessert that’s perfect for holidays, celebrations, or whenever you want to serve something truly special.
Ingredients
For the Choux Pastry
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Hazelnut Cream
- 8 ounces mascarpone cheese, softened
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup hazelnut spread
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped toasted hazelnuts
For the Chocolate Topping
- 5 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Caramelized Hazelnut Crunch
- 1 cup toasted hazelnuts
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- Pinch of flaky sea salt
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly draw an 8-inch circle as a guide.
In a saucepan, combine the water, butter, sugar, and salt. Bring to a gentle boil. Remove from the heat and immediately stir in the flour until a smooth dough forms. Return the pan to low heat and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly until the dough pulls away from the sides.
Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl and allow it to cool for 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract until the dough is smooth, glossy, and holds its shape.
Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe three connected rings following the marked circle, stacking the top ring between the two lower rings to create a full crown shape.
Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking for 25–30 minutes, or until deeply golden and crisp. Turn off the oven, crack the door slightly, and let the pastry cool inside for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
For the filling, beat the mascarpone, powdered sugar, vanilla, and hazelnut spread until smooth. In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks and gently fold it into the mascarpone mixture. Stir in the chopped toasted hazelnuts.
Slice the cooled pastry horizontally. Pipe or spread the hazelnut cream generously over the bottom half before replacing the top.
To make the topping, heat the heavy cream until steaming and pour it over the chopped chocolate. Let stand for 2 minutes, then stir until smooth. Mix in the butter and drizzle over the pastry.
For the hazelnut crunch, cook the sugar and water until amber in color. Stir in the toasted hazelnuts, spread onto parchment paper, and let cool completely. Break into small crunchy pieces and sprinkle over the chocolate.
Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to enjoy.
