via David Leite
- DOUGH:
- 2 cups minus 2 tablespoons flour, plus more for the work surface
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold water
- 2 sticks unsalted butter (8 oz), room temperature
- CUSTARD:
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cups milk, divided
- 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2/3 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 large egg yolks, whisked
Directions
- DOUGH: Use a dough hook to mix 224g flour, pinch of salt, and 207g of cold water. Pillow should form in ~30 seconds.
- Flour work surface, pat dough into 6-inch square, flour, cover and let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.
- Roll into an 18-inch square, ensuring it doesn’t stick to surface.
- Stir butter until smooth, and then spread 1/3 of it on a portion of the dough square (~2/3) leaving both 1/3rd of the square and a 1 inch border untouched.
- Fold over the untouched third, and the fold the other side in as well. Pat the dough down to release air bubbles and then seal.
- Roll the dough out twice more using the same process. Then roll into log and chill for 2 hours or freeze up to 3 months.
- CUSTARD: Whisk 23g of flour and 60g of milk until smooth.
- Boil 300g sugar, 160g water, & cinnamon until 220°F. Don’t stir.
- Separately scald 240g of milk and whisk it into flour mixture.
- Remove cinnamon from #8 and pour it into #9, whisking briskly.
- Add vanilla and stir for a minute. Whisk in yolks, then strain into bowl and let sit in fridge up to 3 days.
- FINAL: Roll log so that it’s 16in long and 1in diameter. Cut 3/4in pieces and put in muffin pan. Dip thumbs in water and press dough out to cover sides (~1/16 in thick pieces).
- Fill each cup 3/4 full with the cool custard.
- Bake at 550°F for 8 minutes in mini, 15 for classic muffin trays.