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Perfect French Croquembouche Recipe Easy Cream Puff Tower for Celebrations

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An approachable and rewarding French dessert featuring crispy choux pastry balls filled with vanilla bean custard and held together by glossy caramel, perfect for celebrations.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (240 ml) water
  • 8 tablespoons (115 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk
  • 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped (or 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract)
  • 5 large egg yolks
  • 2/3 cup (135 g) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup (30 g) cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) water
  • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup

Instructions

  1. Make the choux pastry dough: In a medium saucepan, combine water, butter, salt, and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once boiling and butter melted, remove from heat and immediately stir in the flour all at once. Return to stove on low heat, stirring vigorously for about 2 minutes until dough forms a smooth ball and pulls away from pan.
  2. Cool the dough: Transfer dough to mixing bowl and let cool for 5 minutes.
  3. Incorporate eggs: Using a mixer, beat in eggs one at a time, about 30 seconds each, until dough is smooth and shiny and falls from spatula in a thick ribbon (5-7 minutes).
  4. Pipe the puffs: Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line baking sheets and pipe small rounds (about 1.5 inches/4 cm diameter) of dough. Mist fingers with water to smooth peaks.
  5. Bake: Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°F (175°C) and bake for another 15-20 minutes until golden and puffed. Avoid opening oven door early.
  6. Prepare pastry cream: Heat milk and vanilla bean in saucepan until just simmering. In bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until pale. Slowly pour hot milk into yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Return to stove, cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (3-5 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in butter. Cover with plastic wrap touching surface and chill.
  7. Fill puffs: Once puffs cool, poke small hole at bottom and pipe in chilled pastry cream using small piping tip. Avoid overfilling.
  8. Make caramel: Combine sugar, water, and corn syrup in saucepan. Cook over medium heat without stirring until deep amber color (about 320°F/160°C). Remove from heat immediately.
  9. Assemble croquembouche: Quickly dip each cream puff into caramel to coat base slightly, then stack in cone shape on prepared surface. Use extra caramel as glue between puffs. Be careful, caramel is hot.
  10. Finish and serve: Let tower set for 10-15 minutes before serving to allow caramel to harden into crisp shell.

Notes

Cook choux dough on stove to remove excess moisture to prevent soggy puffs. Do not open oven door early to avoid collapse. Use candy thermometer for caramel to avoid burning. Work quickly when assembling as caramel sets fast. Keep warm water nearby to dip fingers and smooth caramel threads. Tower does not need to be perfectly symmetrical.

Nutrition

Keywords: croquembouche, cream puff tower, French dessert, choux pastry, caramel, pastry cream, celebration dessert

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