Croquembouche
Croquembouche
Ingredients
For the Pâte à Choux (Choux Pastry)
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 stick
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
For the Crème Pâtissière (Pastry Cream)
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
For the Caramel
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- 1
For the Pâte à Choux: In a saucepan, combine the water, unsalted butter, salt, and sugar. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over medium heat.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Once boiling, remove the saucepan from the heat and immediately add the all-purpose flour. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until a ball of dough forms.
⏱️ 2 min
- 3
Return the saucepan to medium heat and continue to stir the dough for 2-3 minutes to dry it out. A thin film should form at the bottom of the pan.
⏱️ 3 min
- 4
Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl. Let it cool for a few minutes. Add the large eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition until fully incorporated and the dough is smooth and glossy. The dough should be thick enough to hold its shape when piped.
⏱️ 10 min
- 5
Transfer the choux pastry into a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe small, uniform mounds (about 1 inch in diameter) onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
⏱️ 15 min
- 6
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Bake the choux puffs for 15 minutes.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 400
- 7
Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue to bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until the choux puffs are golden brown, puffed, and firm. Turn off the oven, crack open the door slightly, and let the choux dry out for an additional 10-15 minutes to prevent them from deflating.
⏱️ 35 min•🌡️ 350
- 8
Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.
⏱️ 30 min
- 9
For the Crème Pâtissière: In a saucepan, heat the whole milk over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. Do not boil.
⏱️ 5 min
- 10
In a separate bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, large egg yolks, and cornstarch until smooth and pale.
⏱️ 3 min
- 11
Gradually pour about half of the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to temper the yolks.
⏱️ 2 min
- 12
Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining hot milk. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the cream thickens significantly and comes to a boil. Boil for 1 minute while whisking.
⏱️ 8 min
- 13
Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and unsalted butter until fully melted and incorporated.
⏱️ 2 min
- 14
Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl, cover it directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or until firm.
⏱️ 120 min
- 15
For the Caramel: In a clean saucepan, combine the granulated sugar and water.
⏱️ 1 min
- 16
Cook over medium-high heat without stirring. Let the sugar dissolve and then caramelize. Watch carefully until the syrup turns a rich golden amber color. This will take approximately 8-10 minutes.
⏱️ 10 min
- 17
Once the caramel reaches the desired color, immediately remove it from the heat. Be cautious as it is very hot.
⏱️ 1 min
- 18
Assembly: Once the choux puffs and pastry cream are chilled, fill each choux puff with the pastry cream. You can do this by making a small hole at the bottom of each puff with a knife or piping tip and piping in the cream.
⏱️ 20 min
- 19
Lightly grease your cone-shaped mold (or a cylindrical object like a bottle, greased and covered in parchment paper).
⏱️ 2 min
- 20
Dip the bottom of each filled choux puff into the hot caramel and immediately attach it to the cone, starting from the base and working your way up. Ensure they are securely stuck together.
⏱️ 15 min - 21
Continue dipping and attaching choux puffs, building a pyramid shape. Use the caramel to glue them together.
⏱️ 15 min
- 22
Optional Spun Sugar Decoration: Once the croquembouche is assembled, you can create spun sugar. Dip a fork into the remaining caramel and quickly flick it back and forth over a sheet of parchment paper to create fine sugar threads. Gather these threads and gently drape them around the croquembouche for decoration.
⏱️ 10 min
- 23
Serve immediately as the caramel can soften over time.
Kitchen Tools
Croquembouche
For the Pâte à Choux (Choux Pastry)
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 stick
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
For the Crème Pâtissière (Pastry Cream)
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
For the Caramel
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- 1
For the Pâte à Choux: In a saucepan, combine the water, unsalted butter, salt, and sugar. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over medium heat.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Once boiling, remove the saucepan from the heat and immediately add the all-purpose flour. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until a ball of dough forms.
⏱️ 2 min - 3
Return the saucepan to medium heat and continue to stir the dough for 2-3 minutes to dry it out. A thin film should form at the bottom of the pan.
⏱️ 3 min - 4
Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl. Let it cool for a few minutes. Add the large eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition until fully incorporated and the dough is smooth and glossy. The dough should be thick enough to hold its shape when piped.
⏱️ 10 min - 5
Transfer the choux pastry into a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe small, uniform mounds (about 1 inch in diameter) onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
⏱️ 15 min - 6
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Bake the choux puffs for 15 minutes.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 400 - 7
Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue to bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until the choux puffs are golden brown, puffed, and firm. Turn off the oven, crack open the door slightly, and let the choux dry out for an additional 10-15 minutes to prevent them from deflating.
⏱️ 35 min•🌡️ 350 - 8
Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.
⏱️ 30 min - 9
For the Crème Pâtissière: In a saucepan, heat the whole milk over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. Do not boil.
⏱️ 5 min - 10
In a separate bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, large egg yolks, and cornstarch until smooth and pale.
⏱️ 3 min - 11
Gradually pour about half of the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to temper the yolks.
⏱️ 2 min - 12
Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining hot milk. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the cream thickens significantly and comes to a boil. Boil for 1 minute while whisking.
⏱️ 8 min - 13
Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and unsalted butter until fully melted and incorporated.
⏱️ 2 min - 14
Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl, cover it directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or until firm.
⏱️ 120 min - 15
For the Caramel: In a clean saucepan, combine the granulated sugar and water.
⏱️ 1 min - 16
Cook over medium-high heat without stirring. Let the sugar dissolve and then caramelize. Watch carefully until the syrup turns a rich golden amber color. This will take approximately 8-10 minutes.
⏱️ 10 min - 17
Once the caramel reaches the desired color, immediately remove it from the heat. Be cautious as it is very hot.
⏱️ 1 min - 18
Assembly: Once the choux puffs and pastry cream are chilled, fill each choux puff with the pastry cream. You can do this by making a small hole at the bottom of each puff with a knife or piping tip and piping in the cream.
⏱️ 20 min - 19
Lightly grease your cone-shaped mold (or a cylindrical object like a bottle, greased and covered in parchment paper).
⏱️ 2 min - 20
Dip the bottom of each filled choux puff into the hot caramel and immediately attach it to the cone, starting from the base and working your way up. Ensure they are securely stuck together.
⏱️ 15 min - 21
Continue dipping and attaching choux puffs, building a pyramid shape. Use the caramel to glue them together.
⏱️ 15 min - 22
Optional Spun Sugar Decoration: Once the croquembouche is assembled, you can create spun sugar. Dip a fork into the remaining caramel and quickly flick it back and forth over a sheet of parchment paper to create fine sugar threads. Gather these threads and gently drape them around the croquembouche for decoration.
⏱️ 10 min - 23
Serve immediately as the caramel can soften over time.