Make the vanilla pastry cream

• Heat the milk with the scraped vanilla seeds and pods.
• Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and cornstarch until pale.
• Pour the hot milk over the yolks, return to the pan and cook until thickened.
• Off the heat, whisk in the butter, then cool completely.

Make the salted butter caramel

• Cook the sugar to a dry amber caramel.
• Add the warm cream carefully and stir until smooth.
• Stir in the salted butter and fleur de sel, then cool.

Make the choux pastry

• Bring the water and butter to a boil, then add the flour and dry out the paste.
• Beat in the eggs gradually until the dough is smooth and glossy.
• Pipe small choux and larger choux on a tray.

Bake the choux

• Bake the choux until puffed and golden.
• Cool on a rack.

Bake the croissant dough base

• Roll the laminated croissant dough and cut a round base.
• Bake until crisp and golden, then cool.

Caramelize the choux

• Dip the choux tops in caramel or coat them lightly.
• Let the caramel set.

Whip the vanilla ganache

• Whip the cold cream with the mascarpone, powdered sugar and vanilla.
• Whip to a firm piping consistency.

Assemble the Saint Honoré

• Fill the croissant base with vanilla pastry cream.
• Spread a layer of salted butter caramel.
• Arrange the caramelized choux around the edge.
• Pipe the vanilla whipped ganache and top with a small choux.