Fried Choux Pastry Rings with Yuzu (English Choux Nuts)

These chouxnuts (fried choux-pastry rings) pair a German-inspired streusel (a delicately spiced crumble) with an Asian-inspired yuzu citrus glaze. Crunchy, tart and deliciously light, they make for a fun party dessert to share with friends.

Streusel:
all-purpose flour, unbleached (50 g)
caster sugar (25 g)
unsalted butter, cubed (25 g)
½ tsp. ground nutmeg

Choux Pastry:
whole milk (160 mL)
unsalted butter, cubed (160 g)
2 tsp. sugar
½ tsp. kosher salt
all-purpose flour, unbleached, sifted (200 g)
3–4 large eggs, lightly beaten
vegetable oil, for deep-frying

Glaze:
icing sugar, sifted (200 g)
yuzu juice, as needed (35-40 mL)
unsalted butter, softened (20 g)
edible gold lustre dust (optional), to decorate

Equipment:
large piping bag, fitted with a large open star nozzle
deep-fat fryer (optional)
cooking thermometer
12 cm squares of baking paper x 12, each drawn with an 8 cm diameter circle

Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C/180°C fan, Gas Mark 6).

Make the Streusel:
Tip all of the streusel ingredients into a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Spread the mixture on a baking sheet and bake for 5-8 minutes, until lightly golden.

Make the Choux Pastry:
Pour the milk into a medium saucepan and add the butter, sugar and salt. Place the pan over a medium heat and stir to melt the butter. Once the butter has melted, bring the liquid to the boil, then immediately slide the pan off the heat. Quickly, add the flour and beat vigorously until the batter is smooth.

Return the pan to a medium heat, beating continuously, until the mixture is glossy.

Tip the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the beater attachment, and leave it to cool for 5–10 minutes. Then, gradually add the eggs, beating well between each addition until the batter is silky smooth and reluctantly drops off the spoon. You may not need all the egg.

Scoop the dough into the large piping bag fitted with the star nozzle and twist the end to seal. Set aside.

Half fill a deep-fat fryer or large, heavy-based saucepan with vegetable oil and place it over a medium heat, until it reaches 180°C on the cooking thermometer.

Turn all the baking-paper squares over so that the drawn circle is on the underside and pipe a choux ring on each of two of the paper squares. Carefully lower the choux rings into the oil, with the baking paper uppermost. Gently remove the baking paper using tongs and fry the rings for 2 minutes on each side, until golden brown all over. Using a slotted spoon, remove the cooked rings from the oil and set them aside on a wire cooling rack lined with kitchen paper. Leave to cool while you fry the remainder of the rings, two at a time, until you have 12 rings altogether. Leave the rings to cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the yuzu glaze. Tip the icing sugar into a large mixing bowl. Gradually beat in the yuzu juice until the icing is smooth and thick, then beat in the softened butter.

Dip each cooled choux ring into the yuzu icing and return the rings to the cooling rack.

Sprinkle the streusel on top of each chouxnut, then spray with a little gold lustre dust, if using, to decorate.