Croquembouche
 
 
Author:
Ingredients
  • Cream Puffs
  • Make 5 batches of cream puffs (see here)
  • Pastry Cream
  • 5 egg yolks
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 T cornstarch
  • 2 milk
  • 1 T butter
  • 1 vanilla bean, slit and squeezed out (or use vanilla paste)
  • 2 T rum
  • Caramel
  • 5 cups sugar
  • 1⅓ cups water
Instructions
  1. Make the cream puffs a consistent size. As soon as you take them out of the oven, move the to a cooling rack and pierce the bottom of them with the filler tip. Piece all of the puffs before moving on to filling them. This will make it much easier when you go to fill them and will allow them to cool better. You can also freeze them at this point after piercing them.
  2. Whip the egg yolks and sugar until they form a ribbon when you lift the whisk out of the bowl. Add the cornstarch. Heat the milk on the stove until boiling. Slowly pour the scalded milk into the egg mixture until it’s all incorporated. Pour the mixture back into the pan and heat until it comes to a slow boil constantly whisking it. Once it thickens, take off the heat. Add the butter, vanilla bean paste, and rum. Allow to cool and refrigerate until you’re ready to use. You can use a different flavor if you prefer.
  3. Put the cream into a pastry bag with the filling tip attached. Fill each puff with cream. A little may spill out the bottom. We found that pushing it up to the top (not through) and slowly pulling it back out with slight pressure filled them well. You will be able to feel that they are heavier when filled. If you have time, you can return your puffs to the fridge until you’re ready to assemble.
  4. Heat the sugar and water in a pan. Using a candy thermometer, heat until it reaches the caramel stage and take off the heat. Take each puff and slightly dip it into the caramel getting parts of both sides. Begin to build your structure with a base and work up in concentric circles.
Notes
Warning: the caramel is hot and you may burn yourself so be careful. You may want to double the caramel and make it in a larger pot to make it easier to dip without burning yourself. You need more caramel than you anticipate, and next time, we plan to use tongs.
Recipe by The Taste Edit at https://thetasteedit.com/croquembouche/