Step 1

Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, and a pinch of salt with the butter, then incorporate the egg yolks and mix until you obtain a soft, even dough. Wrap it in plastic wrap and let it chill in the fridge for 1 hour. Roll it out on a sheet of parchment paper until it is about 1/8-inch thick and then transfer both into a baking pan. Surround the dough with an 8 1/2 inch cake ring; trim any excess dough sticking out and bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Step 2

FOR THE CREME CHIBOUST: Combine 2 egg yolks with 3 1/2 teaspoons of sugar and the cornstarch. Heat the milk with the vanilla bean pod, cut in half lengthwise; once it comes to a boil, strain it over the egg yolks and cook the cream for 3-4 minutes. Let cool. Beat 2 egg whites to stiff peaks. Cook the remaining sugar

Step 3

in 1 1/2 tablespoons of water until it reaches 250°F. Slowly pour the sugar syrup into the egg whites, continuing to beat until the meringue is cool. Incorporate the meringue into the cream; place the crème in a pastry bag with a slim tip. Make a small hole in the bottom of the cream puffs and fill with the crème chiboust.

Step 4

TO COMPLETE: Melt the sugar in a small saucepan until you obtain a light golden caramel; to keep it nice and fluid, cook half first and then the second half. Dunk the cream puffs one by one, coating the tops. Place them on a sheet of parchment paper to chill; if you want a smoother, shinier effect, place them upside down inside silicone muffin tins. Arrange the cream puffs along the circumference of the crust, sticking them down with a bit of the crème; form a spiral with the crème in the center of the cake; finish with dollops of cream in the space between each cream puff. Decorate with whipped cream, piped using a pastry bag with a Saint Honoré tip.