Choux Craquelin with Hazelnut and Chocolate

Method

1. For the craquelin: combine hazelnut flour and brown sugar in a bowl. Add soft butter and mix until a homogeneous dough forms.
2. Roll out the craquelin dough between two sheets of parchment paper to a thickness of about 2-3 mm. Place in the freezer until firm.
3. For the choux pastry: in a saucepan, combine milk, a pinch of salt, a pinch of sugar, and butter cut into small pieces. Heat until the butter is completely melted.
4. Add all the flour at once and stir vigorously. Cook until the mixture forms a film on the bottom of the pan and pulls away from the sides (about 90°C).
5. Transfer the cooked paste to a mixer bowl. Let it cool slightly by mixing, until it reaches about 40-45°C (or wait 2-3 minutes).
6. Gradually add the eggs one at a time in a thin stream, mixing continuously. Stop as soon as the dough forms a V shape when lifted with a spatula.
7. Pipe the choux pastry onto a baking sheet lined with a microperforated mat or a lightly buttered and floured tray (do not use parchment paper).
8. Cut rounds of the chilled craquelin slightly larger than the piped choux and place one on top of each choux.
9. Bake in a static oven: first at 270°C for 40 seconds, then turn off the oven and leave for 13 minutes, then turn the oven back on to 170°C for another 12-13 minutes until golden and dry.
10. Let the bignè cool completely, then cut them in half horizontally.
11. Fill the bottom halves with hazelnut praline.
12. Prepare the chocolate sauce: combine milk chocolate, cream, a shot of coffee, and a bit of hazelnut praline. Melt gently until smooth.
13. Drizzle the sauce over the filled bignè and garnish with whole hazelnuts.