Saint Honoré cake
The Saint Honoré cake is a famous example of French patisserie. It consists of a puff pastry base surrounded by a ring of caramel-coated choux puffs and topped with whipped cream (Chantilly).
It is a bit tricky to make, but this recipe gives you all the hints you need.
It is a bit tricky to make, but this recipe gives you all the hints you need.
129 K 4.4/5 (24 reviews)
2 hours 55 min.
Average
3 Saints Honoré cake
6 IngredientsLast modified on: April 14th 2013
For 3 Saints Honoré cake, you will need:
- 1
450 ml puff or flaky pastry (pâte feuilletée) - 2
90 ml icing sugar - 3
1 litre 50 ml confectioner's custard (crème pâtissière, or french pastry cream) - 4
1 litre 50 ml choux pastry (pâte à choux) - 5
600 mls caster sugar - 6
600 mls Chantilly cream
Change these quantities to make:
Change measures:
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 2 hours 6 min.
Cooking: 45 min.
All in all: 2 hours 55 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 10 min.
Preheat the oven to 430°F (220°C).
Cut a circle of puff pastry 26 cm (10 inches) in diameter and prick all over with a fork or pique-vite (pastry pricker).
Cut a circle of puff pastry 26 cm (10 inches) in diameter and prick all over with a fork or pique-vite (pastry pricker).
Stage 2 - 10 min.
Cover with cooking parchment, weigh this down with a wire rack (to prevent the pastry swelling up) and bake in the oven. You can also cook it between two baking sheets.
Stage 3 - 3 min.
Once the pastry is starting to brown and is almost cooked, take it out of the oven and remove both the wire rack and the paper. Sprinkle icing sugar over the top and put it back in the oven...
Stage 4 - 5 min.
...for a few minutes, until the top caramelizes (if necessary, finish this under the grill).
Leave to cool on a wire rack.
Leave to cool on a wire rack.
Stage 5 - 40 min.
Prepare 1 litre 50 ml confectioner's custard (crème pâtissière, or french pastry cream).
Stage 6 - 30 min.
Prepare 1 litre 50 ml choux pastry (pâte à choux) and pipe in small heaps about 1.5 cm (3/4 inch) in diameter using a forcing bag .
Stage 7 - 5 min.
Flatten the points with a tea spoon dipped in milk to make the puffs nice and round.
Stage 8 - 20 min.
Once the puffs are cooked, leave them to cool.
Stage 9 - 10 min.
Prepare a light caramel with 600 mls caster sugar.
Stage 10 - 2 min.
Stand the pan of caramel on a folded cloth.
Stage 11
Dip the rounded side of a choux puff into the caramel...
Stage 12
And place on a baking sheet (covered with a sheet of cooking parchment), caramel side downwards.
Stage 13 - 40 min.
Do this with all the puffs then put the caramel to keep hot.
Fill the puffs with confectioner's custard, without turning them over.
Fill the puffs with confectioner's custard, without turning them over.
Stage 14
Turn a filled puff the other way up, hold by the top (the set caramel side) and dip the bottom into the liquid caramel...
Stage 15
Then stick this around the outside of the pastry circle and hold in place for a few seconds until the caramel sets.
Do this with the other puffs until you have completed the ring around the Saint Honoré.
Do this with the other puffs until you have completed the ring around the Saint Honoré.
Stage 16
You can put a puff in the centre for added artistic effect if you wish.
Stage 17
Fill the space with rosettes of whipped cream.
Stage 18
You can pipe small rosettes of cream around the outside, between the puffs, as a finishing touch.
Refrigerate before serving.
Refrigerate before serving.
Remarks
This recipe needs a lot of work, so it is a good idea to be organised and to prepare the elements that can wait in advance, as far as possible: puff pastry circle, confectioner's custard and choux puffs (you can even fill these).
Once you keep to the basic principle (puff-pastry base, choux pastry around it and cream filling) you can vary this in many different ways: by changing the cream, for example. Give free rein to your imagination.
Once you keep to the basic principle (puff-pastry base, choux pastry around it and cream filling) you can vary this in many different ways: by changing the cream, for example. Give free rein to your imagination.
And to drink?
A sweet white wine, such as a Loupiac.
Keeping: A few hours in the fridge.
Source: Home made.
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 1,040 RDI=400 % | 5,310 RDI=500 % | 3,560 RDI=540 % | 13,400 RDI=670 % | 56,110 RDI: 670 % |
| Per 100 g | 30 RDI=10 % | 140 RDI=10 % | 90 RDI=10 % | 350 RDI=20 % | 1,460 RDI: 20 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 3 Saints Honoré cake : 13.60 €
- Per Saint Honoré cake : 4.55 €
Change currency: 
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
This recipe uses (among others)
Confectioner's custard (Crème pâtissière, or French pastry cream)
You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Yvetot Douillons, Almond cream or frangipane, Millefeuille, Pear verbena tarts, Strawberry Verveine Tart , ... See them all 19
Choux pastry (pâte à choux)
You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Gougères, Profiteroles, Mini Mont-Blanc choux puffs, Chouquettes, Pets de nonne, ... See them all 8
Chantilly cream
You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Cranachan, Pear verbena tarts, Mini Mont-Blanc choux puffs, Rum babas, Peach Melba, ... See them all 30
Caster sugar
Like these other recipes: Caramelized pear custard tart, Poaching syrup, Oatmeal cake, Mouna, Black sesame flan, ... See them all 361
Other recipes you may also like
Ratatouille
Ratatouille is a typical Mediterranean dish. The best-known version comes from Nice. It is a ragout of different vegetables (aubergines, peppers, courgettes, onions) in a tomato sauce.September 29th 2013120 K5 1 hour 55 min.
Pear tart with almond cream
This is a very quick and easy tart to make, as everything (or almost) can be done in advance. A piece of sweetcrust pastry, some almond cream and pears? You have "everything you need".March 17th 2011368 K4.3 1 hour 15 min.
Soft fruits in sabayon
This recipe is made by briefly cooking an assortment of soft fruits (raspberries, blackcurrants, blackberries, blueberries, currants...) with a little sugar to glaze them. They are served in a small dish, covered with a delicious sabayon which can be lightly "burned" on surface.February 21th 2011269 K3.9 50 min.
Vanilla sugar
Almost essential in patisserie, you can find it in expensive little sachets of about 10g. It's necessary to distinguish between the vanilla sugar which really contains vanilla, and vanillin sugar, purely chemical which has never seen a vanilla pod. Here is how to quickly make a whole jar full of...August 12th 2018425 K 15 30 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-06-29)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Post a comment or question
Follow this recipe
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.