Gâteau Saint-Honoré a Cake for Bakers
Christmas & Holiday · David Scott Allen · Dessert · Provencal Recipes · TasteSomehow, to call this gâteau a cake does not seem quite right. It is a masterpiece of layers; buttery puff pastry, sweet vanilla cream and thick clouds of heavy whipped cream. David explains in his Cocoa & Lavender post that Saint Honoré was the patron saint of bakers and pastry chefs.
To make Gâteau Saint-Honoré requires time and patience, it is a perfect “Sunday Project” or rainy day work of art. Each layer of the cake requires careful preparation resulting in a cake fit to honour a saint. David’s recipe is below, but make sure to pop over to Cocoa & Lavender for the step by step photos.

Gâteau Saint-Honoré
A decadent and delicious torte style puff pastry filled with rich pastry cream, topped with light fluffy whipped cream and adorned with a halo of profiteroles glazed in caramel.
Ingredients
- 8 oz all-butter puff pastry chilled
- 3 cups sugar plus 4 tbsp, plus 1/2 tbsp, divided
- 1 1/4 cups milk, whole plus 2 tbsp, divided
- 3 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
- pinch salt
- 1/2 cup flour plus 1 tbsp, divided
- 2 eggs
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 seeds from 1 vanilla bean divided
- 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream (35%) well-chilled
- 2 tbsp confectioners’ sugar heaping tablespoons
- 1/2 tbsp canola oil
Instructions
Pastry Base & Profiteroles
- Roll out pastry to 1/8-inch thick.
- Cut out an 8-inch pastry circle; transfer to a parchment paper-lined sheet pan, and prick all over with a fork.
- Cover and refrigerate.
- Heat oven to 425°F.
- Bring 1/2 tablespoon sugar, 1/4 cup milk, butter, salt, and 1/4 cup water to a boil in a small pot.
- Add 1/2 cup flour and cook, stirring, until it forms into a dough ball, about 20 seconds.
- Transfer dough to a bowl.
- Add whole eggs, one at time, while beating with an electric mixer; continue beating until dough is smooth and holds a soft peak.
- Transfer dough to a pastry bag fitted with a 3/8-inch round tip and pipe 3 circles onto the chilled pastry circle: one along the outer edge, one around the middle, and one in the center.
- On the same baking sheet, arranged around the pastry circle, pipe remaining dough into thirteen 1-inch-wide puffs.
- Press down the pointy tops with a moist fingertip.
- Bake pastry circle and puffs until beginning to brown, about 12 minutes.
- Reduce heat to 325°F; bake until dry and golden – 6 minutes for puffs and 10 minutes for pastry.
- Let the pastry circle and puffs cool.
Pastry Cream
- Heat remaining milk, half the vanilla bean seeds, and 4 tablespoons sugar in a small pot over medium heat until it starts to bubble around the edges.
- Meanwhile, beat together egg yolks and 2 tablespoons sugar in a medium bowl until pale and thick; sift in remaining flour and cornstarch and whisk to combine.
- Slowly drizzle in hot milk mixture while whisking constantly.
- Cook 8 to 10 minutes over medium-low heat until very thick; this is the pastry cream.
- Place a circle of parchment directly on the surface of the pastry cream and chill.
Whipped Cream
- Beat remaining vanilla bean and heavy cream to soft peaks in a large bowl.
- Add confectioner’s sugar; beat to stiff peaks.
- Transfer 2 cups whipped cream to a bowl, cover, and reserve in the refrigerator.
- Fold remaining whipped cream into the chilled pastry cream in two batches.
- Transfer the cream mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a very small, round tip.
- Poke bottom of each pastry puff once with a toothpick to make a small hole; pipe cream mixture into each puff to fill.
- Pipe the remaining cream onto the pastry, leaving the outer ring exposed, and chill.
Profiteroles Caramel Glaze
- Grease a sheet pan with the canola oil.
- Bring remaining sugar and ½ cup water to a boil in a small pot over medium heat.
- Cook, without stirring, until golden brown.
- Plunge the pot into cold water to stop the cooking, being careful not to get water in the pot.
- Working with metal tongs, quickly dip each puff into the caramel to coat all over; allow caramel to drip off the puff, then transfer to the sheet pan, puffed side up.
- Let harden.
- Reheat caramel, then dip the end of each puff, puffed side down, briefly into the caramel and adhere them to the outer ring of the pastry circle, pressing them down to ensure that they stick.
- Transfer reserved whipped cream to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip; pipe cream onto center of pastry in stars.
- Chill until ready to serve.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Legal
All rights reserved. Perfectly Provence articles and other content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten (including translations into other languages) or redistributed without written permission. For usage information, please contact us.
Syndication InformationAffiliate Information
As an Amazon Associate, this website earns from qualifying purchases. Some recipes, posts and pages may have affiliate links. If you purchase via these links, we receive a small commission that does not impact your price. Thank you in advance for supporting our work to maintain Perfectly Provence.
Previous Post
Autumn in ProvenceNext Post
Dine in the vines near Mont Ventoux!Related Provence Articles
What to do with Apples? Make a Cake
November 30, 2016
Apples are centre stage in this mildly sweet tea or breakfast cake.…
Salmon Wellington – Salmon en Crôute
December 13, 2019
My variation on Salmon Wellington en Crôute includes other seafood (sole, scallops and shrimp), it was "born" out of necessity when we lived in Maine. Over the years, I have lightened-up the recipe ingredients a bit.…
Celebration Recipe Baba au Rhum
December 9, 2016
A French classic Baba au Rhum: A soft spongy cake soaked in aromatic aged rum and topped with fresh whipped cream.…
Savoury Quick Loaf a Ham and Olive Cake
October 14, 2020
What about a savoury snack or nibble with a glass of rosé? This savoury quick loaf a Ham and Olive Cake is a great snack or pre-dinner bite. It’s often enjoyed by kids here in France when they get home from school for their goûter. In French, this is called Cake aux Olives et Jambon - yes they use the English word “cake.”…
No Comment