CROQUEMBOUCHE 

Biting into one of the crispy-caramel-coated cream puffs that make up a croquembouche is very much like breaking into that first crackle-topped bite of crème brûlée. So, the French name for this dessert, which translates to “crunch in the mouth,” makes total sense. I’d seen these fairy-tower confections before, but when my kids came home from a wedding in France where a croquembouche was served, I decided to make one.

While the recipe requires patience, the result is truly worth it. To ease assembly, I made a paper cone to use as the base for the croquembouche, which helps a lot. But the most challenging bit is working with molten sugar caramel. You’ll dip the cream puffs in this to stick them to the tower and then spin some in ethereal threads around the finished piece. Molten caramel is really hot stuff, so I used small kitchen tongs to hold the puffs during the dipping process to avoid getting burned. Because the caramel cools quickly, you may have to make a second batch to complete the entire tower. And to clean the pots, don’t panic! Just immerse and soak in hot water—the sugar will eventually dissolve and come off.

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Serves 8 – 10 

INGREDIENTS 

For the cream puff dough (pâte à choux)

• 1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups bread flour
• 5 eggs

For the pastry cream

• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 vanilla bean, sliced in half lengthwise
• 6 large egg yolks
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

For the caramel

• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup water

METHOD

Make the pâte à choux
Sift the flour. Line two half-sheet pans with parchment paper. Make a paper cone to serve as a base for the cream puffs and set aside. In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, milk, water, sugar, and salt and heat to boiling. Remove from heat and add the flour all at once, stirring hard until blended. Return to heat and keep stirring until the mixture forms a ball. Place in stand mixer bowl with paddle attachment and beat to cool for a few minutes. Whisk one of the eggs in a small bowl. Beat into the dough well. Whisk the second egg in a small bowl and beat into the dough well. Repeat, scraping sides and bottom of bowl as needed until all eggs are added and the dough is a smooth paste. Cool for 5 minutes.

Make the puffs
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a 3/16-inch plain tip with the paste. Form little mounds, piping about 2 teaspoons for each puff. (Note: Make a few bigger and a few smaller because the little ones help fill in any gaps in the tower when you assemble the croquembouche.) Leave about 2 inches between each. Smooth any “peaks” by dipping your finger in water and smoothing the tops. Bake until puffed for 20 minutes; lower heat to 325 degrees and continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes until puffs are completely dry and golden brown.

Make pastry cream
In a heavy saucepot over medium heat, combine milk and the halved vanilla bean and heat to boiling. Remove from heat, cover, and steep for 10 minutes. Fish out the vanilla bean, scraping vanilla seeds into the milk, and then discard the bean. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Temper by adding 1/2 cup of the warm milk to the mixture. Whisk in the rest of the milk; return the whole mixture to the saucepot over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly for about 7 minutes until thickened. Stir in the pat of butter. Cool and then pop in fridge until thoroughly chilled.

Fill cream puffs
While cream is cooling, poke a small hole in the bottom of each puff. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a 3/16-inch plain tip with the cream. Squirt a little cream into each puff. Set aside.

Make caramel
In a heavy pot, combine sugar and water over medium heat, stirring only for one minute. Cook until the mixture boils vigorously and begins to turn a light golden color. Remove from heat. Place the paper cone you made in the center of a plate. Working quickly, dip a filled cream puff bottom into the molten caramel and place at the base of the cone, sticking it to the plate and the side of the cone. Repeat until puffs circle the cone. Working upwards, continue dipping and placing until you have completed the tower with the last puff poked onto the tip. Now, dip a fork in the caramel and, touching one of the puffs, pull away and spin to create a thin caramel thread. Keep doing this until you have spun a pretty cage of threads around the tower.

Serve
The finished croquembouche should be served right away—no more than two hours after it’s completed.