Honey-Apricot Custard Tower

Ease of preparation rating: Medium
Yield: 4-6 slices

Ingredients:

1 package (2 sheets) store-bought puff pastry, thawed

Nappage

¼ cup (60 ml) apricot preserves

2 tablespoons (30 ml) honey

1 teaspoon (5 ml) water

Apricot mousseline cream

2 cups (470 ml) milk

10 egg yolks

1 cup (240 ml) sugar

1 cup (240 ml) cornstarch

¼ cup (60 ml) apricot preserves

1 ½ cups (350 ml) butter, divided

Honeycomb

½ cup (120 ml) sugar

¼ cup (60 ml) corn syrup

¼ cup (60 ml) honey

1 tablespoon (15 ml) baking soda

Oil, for greasing tray

Special equipment

6-inch (15 cm) round cookie cutter

Candy thermometer

Piping bag with a large tip

Method:

To prepare the pastry, preheat oven to 375 F (190 C). Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Carefully roll out puff pastry sheets, then cut into 3 large rounds using cookie cutter. Place rounds on the baking tray. Place a sheet of parchment paper over top. Place another baking sheet on top (this will prevent the pastry from rising).

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Meanwhile, to make the nappage, add apricot preserves, honey, and water to a pot on the stove. Bring to a boil and then remove from heat. Let cool slightly.

Remove pastry from the oven once it has finished cooking. Remove the top baking tray and the top parchment paper. Brush immediately with the nappage. Let pastry cool on the counter.

To make the mousseline cream, warm milk in a saucepan.

In a bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar. Add cornstarch to yolks and whisk in. Add apricot preserves and whisk to incorporate. Pour a small amount of the warmed milk into the egg mixture and whisk to incorporate. Add a bit more and continue whisking. When half of the milk has been added, pour the mixture into the saucepan with the remainder of the milk and whisk together. Heat over medium, constantly whisking, until the cream thickens.

Remove saucepan from the heat and let cool. Once cool, gradually add the butter, mixing in with a hand mixer. Cover and put in the fridge to set.

To make the honeycomb, line a baking pan with parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper. Add sugar, corn syrup, and honey to a pot on the stove. Heat, stirring, until sugar has melted. Bring to a boil, stirring, until it reaches 300 F (150 C) on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat.

Add the baking soda and stir in quickly (being careful not to splash any of the hot candy onto your skin). Pour directly into the lined baking tray. Let cool.

Remove from tray, and chop into large chunks.

To assemble, transfer the mousseline cream to a piping bag fitted with a large tip. Lay one of the pastry rounds on a plate. Pipe the mousseline cream on top. Top with a second pastry round. Pipe the mousseline cream on top. Top with a third pastry round. Pipe a small line of mousseline on top. Place a few large chunks of honeycomb on the mousseline.