Corn and White Peach Profiterole by Chef Michael Laiskoni

(This recipe appeared in the Fall 2022 issue of Pastry Arts Magazine)

Sponsored by

Chef Ambassador, Les vergers Boiron

This Corn and White Peach Profiterole is a celebration of late summer flavors. The sweet and delicate corn ice cream is a creamy counterpoint to the intensely aromatic and subtly floral white peach. 

Yield: approximately 24 pieces

Choux Sablée

• 100 g unsalted butter
• 65 g granulated sugar
• 60 g light brown sugar
• 125 g all-purpose flour
• 2 g salt

1. Place all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on low speed just until combined, adding a small amount of water if necessary.

2. Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment or acetate cut to approximately 11.8ʺ x 15.7ʺ (30 x 40cm). Freeze.

Pâte à Choux

• 62.5 g whole milk
• 62.5 g water
• 5 g granulated sugar
• 1 g salt
• 50 g unsalted butter
• 37.5 g all-purpose flour
• 37.5 g bread flour
• 100 g whole eggs

1. Place the milk, water, sugar, salt and butter in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the flour until incorporated; return to heat and cook for 1-2 minutes, until a smooth mass has formed.

2. Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat the mixture until slightly cooled; incorporate the eggs in the small amounts.

3. Transfer the paste to a pastry bag and deposit into 1.18ʺ (3cm) silicone hemisphere forms. Freeze.

4. Unmold and top each frozen choux with a 0.16ʺ (4mm) disc of the choux sablée. Gently warm the surface with a heat gun, allowing the sablée to evenly drape the choux. Temper to room temperature.

5. Place in a 340˚F (170˚C) oven and bake for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to 320˚F (160˚C) and continue to bake an additional 5 minutes. Reduce heat to 300˚F (150˚C) and finish baking until golden and dry, approximately 10 minutes.

Corn Ice Cream

• 485 g whole milk
• 180 g heavy cream (36% fat)
• 45 g nonfat dry milk powder
• 140 g granulated sugar, divided
• 40 g glucose powder
• 2 g ice cream stabilizer
• 20 g egg yolks
• 90 g freeze-dried corn

1. Place the milk and cream in a saucepan. Whisk in the dry milk to rehydrate and add 100 g of the sugar and the glucose. Bring just to a boil.

2. Meanwhile, combine the remaining 40 g of the sugar and the stabilizer. Whisk into the egg yolks.

3. Temper the hot milk into the yolk mixture. Return to low heat and cook, stirring, to 185˚F (85˚C).

4. Remove from heat and transfer to a blender; add the freeze-dried corn and homogenize until smooth. Strain and chill in an ice water bath. Allow the mix to mature for at least 12 hours.

5. Process in batch freezer; extract the mix at 23˚F ( -5˚C). Alternatively, transfer to PacoJet canisters and freeze; process as needed.

6. Transfer the ice cream to small silicone ‘stone’ molds. Continue to harden the ice cream at 0˚F ( -18˚C) as necessary.

White Peach Jam

• 90 g Boiron White Peach purée
• 10 g Boiron PGI Siracusa Lemon purée
• 60 g granulated sugar, divided
• 1.5 g yellow pectin
• 45 g isomalt
• 30 g glucose syrup
• 1.5 g citric acid

1. In a small saucepan, combine the purées and heat to 104˚F (40°C).

2. Combine 15 g of the granulated sugar and the pectin and whisk into the purée. Bring to a boil, stirring continually.

3. Add the remaining 45 g sugar, the isomalt and glucose. Resume a boil.

4. Remove from heat and stir in the citric acid.

5. Transfer to a small bowl, cover with plastic film and cool to room temperature. Mix to pipe-able consistency and transfer to a pastry bag.

White Peach-Vanilla Coulis

• 250 g Boiron White Peach purée
• 25 g granulated sugar
• ½ vanilla bean, split and scraped
• 0.5 g xanthan gum

1. Combine the purée, sugar, vanilla and xanthan gum and process with an immersion blender. Reserve chilled.

White Peach Caramel

• 230 g granulated sugar
• 30 g water
• 15 g glucose syrup
• 180 g heavy cream (35% fat)
• 50 g Boiron White Peach purée
• 25 g unsalted butter
• 5 g cocoa butter

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, water and glucose. Cook over high heat to a medium amber caramel color. Meanwhile, heat the cream until warm.

2. Remove the caramel from heat and deglaze with the cream. Add the white peach purée. Return to heat and bring to a full boil.

3. Remove from heat and emulsify the butter and cocoa butter into the caramel using an immersion blender.

Blackberry Fluid Gel

• 125 g Boiron Blackberry purée
• 90 g granulated sugar
• 100 g water
• 3 g agar agar

1. Combine the purée and sugar; gently warm to 95˚F (35˚C). Reserve.

2. Combine the water and agar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat; reduce heat and hold a simmer for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and stir in the purée mixture. Allow to cool and set to a firm gel at room temperature.

3. Break up the gel and place into a variable-speed blender and process until smooth.

4. Transfer to a squeeze bottle and reserve chilled.

Assembly

• Confectioners’ sugar
• White chocolate décor

1. Trim the top from each baked choux puff and pipe the White Peach Jam into the bottom of the puffs. Top each puff with the molded corn ice cream.

2. Place the profiteroles onto a plate with the White-Peach Vanilla Coulis, White Peach Caramel, and Blackberry Fluid Gel. Finish with white chocolate décor.

Photos by Austin McCurry