Classic Croquembouchewith caramel threads
Classic croquembouche with profiteroles filled with vanilla cream, assembled into a firm cone with caramel and finished with very fine threads.
The croquembouche combines three techniques that must be synchronized: dry and hollow choux pastry, cold pastry cream, and caramel at the hard crack stage. The profiteroles are filled only after cooling and glued in concentric layers, forming a stable tower before the caramel hardens.
Ingredients
Cream and choux
Cream
Cream and choux
Cream and caramel
Cream and choux
Choux dough
Preparation
Make the cream
Infuse 500 ml of milk with vanilla; cook with 4 egg yolks, 100 g sugar, and 45 g flour until thickened, cover and cool.
30 minutesCook the panade
Boil 200 ml water, remaining milk, butter, and salt; add 215 g flour and stir until dough dries and detaches from the bottom.
15 minutesIncorporate and shape
Add 5 eggs gradually until the dough forms ribbons; pipe about 50 small, uniform choux.
25 minutesBake and fill
Bake at 200 °C for 15 minutes and at 175 °C for 20 minutes; dry in turned-off oven, cool and fill from the base.
45 minutesAssemble with caramel
Cook 330 g sugar with 100 ml water until amber; glue the choux into a cone and pull fine threads around.
35 minutes
Substitutions
A coated paper cone can serve as a guide; caramel requires dry utensils and cannot be substituted with soft syrup.
Storage
Keep in a cool, dry place away from humidity; do not refrigerate after assembly.
Approximate shelf life: Serve within 4 hours after assembling.
Nutrition values are estimates and may vary by brand, substitution and actual yield.
