PISTACHIO BAKLAVA CROISSANTS

Preheat the oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

Start by preparing the pastry cream. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, egg, cornstarch, and sugar. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat the milk just until warm. Slowly pour the warm milk into the eggs, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from scrambling.

Once the milk is fully incorporated, pour the mixture back into the saucepan and slowly bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, whisking constantly. Continue to cook until it thickens (~4-5 minutes).

Remove the mixture from the heat, and immediately stir in the butter and vanilla extract. Transfer to a clean bowl AND cover with plastic wrap that is directly touching the surface. Let cool.

Prepare the pistachio filling. Process the pistachios with the powdered sugar and cornstarch in a food processor, until the mixture is like fine sand. 

Mix the pistachio mixture with the softened butter, egg, and the pastry cream. Transfer the filling to a pastry bag or ziplock bag with the corner cut off.

Prepare the honey syrup. Mix together the warm water and honey in a small measuring cup or bowl. 

Cut the croissants in half, place onto the baking sheet, and pipe the filling on the inside. Brush the tops of each croissants with the honey syrup mixture, and then pipe remaining filling on top. 

Sprinkle chopped pistachios on top.

Bake at 375F for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve warm with powdered sugar and a drizzle of honey, if desired.

Enjoy!