Ginger-Lemongrass Choux Pastry

Ingredients

• For the craquelin:
• 3 1/3 cups cornflakes
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 5 tablespoons maple sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• For the choux pastry:
• 1 stalk lemongrass, smashed and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
• 1 3/4 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 5 tablespoons buttermilk powder
• 2 sticks unstalted butter, sliced
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 9 large eggs

Directions

1. Make the craquelin first: Add the cornflakes, flour, maple sugar, and salt to a food processor, then pulse 5 times to crush the flakes. Run the machine until the mixture is powdery, about 1 minute. Stop the processor, drop in the butter, and pulse about 10 times, just until the dough gathers into a ball. Spread 2 large pieces of plastic wrap on your work surface, overlapping them at the center to make a rectangle about 18-by-24 inches. Set the dough in the middle, cover it with 2 more overlapping pieces of plastic wrap, and roll it into an approximately 13-by-18-inch rectangle. Slide the wrapped sheet of dough onto a baking sheet and chill until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
2. For the choux, combine the lemongrass, ginger, milk, and heavy cream in a medium saucepan. Warm over medium heat until the liquid reaches a simmer, then take the pan off the heat, cover it, and leave it at room temperature for 30 minutes to steep.
3. While the dairy infuses, heat the oven to 325 degrees F. In a bowl, whisk the flour with the buttermilk powder. Pour the infused milk through a strainer into a clean medium saucepan, leaving the ginger and lemongrass behind. Add the butter, sugar, and salt to the milk, place the pan over medium heat, and bring it to a boil, stirring now and then. Add the flour mixture and stir it in with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring the whole time, until the paste comes together into a soft ball and starts clinging to the bottom of the pan.
4. Take the pan off the heat and scrape the dough into the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attached. Beat on low speed for 5 minutes. With the mixer running, add the eggs one by one, waiting until each egg disappears into the dough before adding the next. Raise the mixer to medium-high and beat for 10 seconds, until the choux looks glossy and smooth. Scrape the choux into a covered container and chill it for at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
5. With a 1-ounce ice cream scoop or a spoon, portion the choux onto non-stick or parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing the mounds 2-3 inches apart. Each scoop should be about 2 tablespoons.
6. Cut the chilled craquelin with a 1-inch round pastry cutter. Press the scraps together, roll them out again, and cut more rounds. Place one craquelin round on each mound of choux, pressing lightly with your fingers so it sits flat and the choux just peeks out around the edges.
7. Bake the choux for 45 minutes, then turn the baking sheets and continue baking until the puffs are risen and golden brown, about 15 minutes longer. Shut off the oven, leave the door slightly open, and let the puffs sit in the warm oven for 15 minutes. Move them from the oven to a wire rack and let them cool all the way, about 30 minutes.