# Components:
→ Choux Pastry
01 - 1/4 cup water
02 - 1/4 cup whole milk
03 - 3 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed
04 - 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
05 - Pinch of salt
06 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
07 - 2 large eggs
→ Chocolate Ganache
08 - 3.5 oz dark chocolate (60–70% cocoa), chopped
09 - 7 tbsp heavy cream
→ Mini Financiers
10 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter
11 - 1/3 cup almond flour
12 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar
13 - 2 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour
14 - Pinch of salt
15 - 2 large egg whites
→ Fruit Tartlets
16 - 3.5 oz sweet shortcrust pastry (pâte sucrée)
17 - 1/3 cup pastry cream
18 - 1 1/2 oz assorted fresh berries (raspberries, blueberries, strawberries)
→ Decoration
19 - 2 tbsp powdered sugar, for dusting
20 - 1 tbsp edible gold leaf or silver pearls (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - Combine water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, add flour, and stir vigorously until dough forms. Return to heat and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring continuously. Transfer dough to a bowl, cool slightly, then beat eggs in one at a time until smooth and glossy.
03 - Pipe small rounds onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20–25 minutes until puffed and golden. Cool completely.
04 - Heat heavy cream until just simmering. Pour over chopped chocolate, let stand for 1 minute, then stir until smooth and glossy. Cool to room temperature.
05 - Melt butter until golden brown (beurre noisette) and cool slightly. In a bowl, mix almond flour, powdered sugar, all-purpose flour, and salt. Whisk in egg whites, then fold in browned butter. Spoon batter into mini financier molds or mini muffin tins. Bake for 15 minutes until golden.
06 - Roll out sweet shortcrust pastry and cut into small rounds. Press into mini tartlet molds, prick bases, and bake blind at 350°F for 10–12 minutes. Cool completely.
07 - Fill cooled tartlet shells with pastry cream and top with assorted fresh berries.
08 - On a large platter, arrange choux puffs filled or dipped with ganache, financiers as train cars, and tartlets as stations. Dust with powdered sugar and decorate with edible gold leaf or silver pearls if desired.
