Serve and impress with a croquembouche?

It's time to make a grand entrance with your Croquembouche! Discover the art of serving and impressing your guests with this exquisite French dessert. From the first bite to the last, create a memorable dining experience!

You'll need

Items needed to answer the question, serve and impress with a Croquembouche. Items include: Cream puffs Unsalted butter All-purpose flour Eggs Granulated sugar Water

Cream puffs About 24
Unsalted butter 1/2 cup
All-purpose flour 1 cup
Eggs 4
Granulated sugar 1 cup
Water 1 and 1/4 cups

Take note
Be careful when working with hot caramel, as it can cause severe burns. Keep small children away from the kitchen during this process.

1

Making the Cream Puffs

Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup of water, 1/2 cup of unsalted butter, and a pinch of salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted completely, remove the saucepan from the heat and quickly stir in 1 cup of all-purpose flour. Stir vigorously until a smooth dough forms. Return the saucepan to low heat and continue stirring for 1-2 minutes to dry out the dough. Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl and let it cool for a few minutes. Beat in 4 eggs, one at a time, making sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. The dough should be smooth and shiny. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a piping bag or a spoon, drop small heaps of dough onto the baking sheet, leaving some space between each. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cream puffs are golden brown and puffy. Remove from the oven and let them cool completely.

2

Preparing the Caramel

In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup of granulated sugar and 1/4 cup of water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar has completely dissolved. Once the sugar has dissolved, stop stirring and let the mixture simmer until it turns a deep amber color. This should take about 10-12 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and carefully dip the bottom of the pan into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Using two spoons or a pair of heat-resistant gloves, quickly dip each cream puff into the caramel, coating the bottoms, and place them onto a parchment-lined baking sheet to set.

3

Assembling the Croquembouche

Choose a heat-resistant base, such as a cake stand or a wide plate. Begin by arranging a ring of cream puffs on the base, using a small amount of caramel to secure them in place. Build the tower by adding more cream puffs on top of the ring, dipping the bottoms in caramel to keep them in position. Continue adding cream puffs, forming a cone-shaped tower. You can create multiple layers if desired. Once your tower is complete, lightly drizzle some caramel over the cream puffs to create a decorative effect.