Do you want a stunning dessert that will also double as a fabulous centerpiece for any occasion? Well then, you need to consider trying your hand at making a croquembouche (pronounced kro-kem-boosh). This ultimate centerpiece is considered a traditional wedding cake in many European countries and takes a good bit of time to prepare in addition to some love and patience, but trust me it is well worth the effort.
This is actually best made from start to finish on the same day you plan to serve it while the puffs are nice and crisp, so make sure you give yourself plenty of time to make all of the necessary pieces. The only thing you can make at least one day ahead of time is the pastry cream because that requires time to cool and set before filling the cream puffs. You can use the pastry cream as is, or you can lighten it with some whipped cream that is folded in right before you are ready to fill the cream puffs.
The main décor pieces of the croquembouche are made of a caramel and nut combination called crocquant (pronounced kro-kant). I have also seen the crocquant made from caramel and sesame seeds as well. A large batch of this is made and a large round piece is cut for the base, and then pieces in different shapes are also cut out to use as decoration throughout the cake. On many of these types of cakes, pulled sugar flowers are also used as décor. I found a few great examples on different sites that are truly exceptional, take a look…
To save some time, I made the base out of a poured sugar caramel that I molded in an 8” rim which makes the croquembouche easier to handle. You can cook sugar a little differently where it does not take on any color and you can then add the color of your choice, but today I kept it simple. If you do not want to make a sugar base you can simply assemble the croquembouche on a large platter. You could also make smaller versions as individual desserts…this will take a little more time, but it is definitely possible for a smaller, intimate dinner party to really WOW your guests.
Once the puffs have been filled, you need to make an amber colored caramel and pour ¾ of it out onto a paper lined sheet pan and allow it to cool completely. Once it has cooled, break the caramel into small pieces and add a few pieces at a time back into the pot that it was originally cooked in to re-melt the caramel. The reason that you do this is because the caramel will darken as it stays warm and continues to cook, so the croquembouche caramel will be lighter at the bottom and darker at the top. Adding a little caramel at a time will help the caramel maintain the same shade all the way up. In European pastry shops, Chefs use a mold that is lightly oiled on the inside and the lined with the caramel coated cream puffs. The mold guarantees a perfect shape each time and is usually used in high production kitchens. The mold looks like this…
If you are molding by hand as I did, all you need to do is simply dip the top and 2 sides of the cream puff in the little bit of caramel that remains in the pot. Dipping 2 sides will ensure that the puff will stick to the puffs that are on the side and beneath it. As you form the shape, continue to add more caramel pieces as you need it. As you glue the cream puffs to the base and to each other, adjust the shape as you move upwards to maintain the traditional cone shape. You can garnish this with some quickly drizzled sugar that dries on contact with the air and creates very thin hair like strands that are then used to garnish the cake.
Croquembouche
I batch cream puffs **makes about 40 pieces
1 batch pastry cream**to lighten pastry cream whip 1 cup of heavy cream with a little powdered sugar and fold in before filling cream puffs.
Caramel
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon corn syrup
Put all of the ingredients together in a medium sized pot and cook to hard crack stage (about 300°F), and the caramel will take on an amber color. Make sure to have a bowl of ice water ready on your counter so that you can dip the bottom of the pot into so that you stop the heating process…if you do not do this the sugar will turn dark very fast at this point. This is enough sugar to make a base for your croquembouche and also to stick all of the puffs together. First oil the inside of an ice cream mold rim and place it on a lined half sheet pan. Carefully pour some sugar into the rim about ¼” thick, then pour the rest of the sugar onto another paper lined sheetpan and allow the caramel to cool completely. Once cool, break the caramel into pieces and add back into the pot a little at a time.
Once the base has cooled in the rim, remove the mold and you should have a nice round sugar base. At this point, add some of the broken pieces of the caramel back into the pot and re-heat them. Carefully begin dipping the filled cream puffs and assemble a single, round layer on the sugar base. Make sure to dip the top of the puff along with 2 sides. This will help stick the cream puff to the one beside it and the one beneath it. Once you have formed the first layer, use more caramel to glue them together if they are not secure. Continue with another layer on top and you will see that it will begin to take on the shape of a cone. Repeat with more layers of cream puffs until you have reached the peak at the top. With the last bit of caramel left, use a fork to quickly drizzle some warm caramel onto a piece of parchment paper and allow it to cool. Then break apart the pieces and use as décor for your croquembouche.
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