Classic French Croquembouche

Make the Choux

1. Gather the ingredients. Arrange racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 400 F.

2. Bring 2 cups water, 1 cup (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon sugar to a boil in a large pot, stirring to combine.

3. Turn off the heat, then add 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour to the pot and stir using a wooden spoon.

4. Turn the heat back on to medium-high and stir vigorously until the mixture comes together into a ball, a thin crust develops at the bottom of the pan, and the dough pulls away from the sides, about 3 minutes. This process will cook the flour and dry out the dough.

5. Transfer the dough to the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Beat the dough on medium-high speed to release the steam and cool the dough down, about a minute.

6. Once it stops steaming, add 10 to 11 large eggs, at room temperature one at a time allowing the dough to come back together before adding the next. With each addition of egg, the dough will look broken, but come back together as the ingredients come to the same temperature.

7. After adding the 10th egg, check the batter. You should be able to draw a line through it with your finger and have it slowly fill in on itself. If it’s too dry, add another egg and test again. The dough should be smooth and glossy, but somewhat elastic.
   

8. Prepare a piping bag by cutting a 1/2-inch circle tip. Fill the piping bag with the batter. You can use a resealable bag if you do not have piping bags.
   

9. Prepare 2 baking sheets by piping a small dot of batter on each corner, then line with parchment paper, pressing to the batter to adhere. This will prevent the parchment paper from flying up in the oven.
   

10. Pipe 1 1/2-inch mounds by holding the pastry bag straight up, about 1/2-inch above from the paper, and gently squeeze without moving the piping bag. When you reach the desired size, quickly twist and flick the piping bag so you have more of a flat top than a peak. (See our tips section to help with this process.) Pipe about 20 to 25 per baking sheet.
    

11. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven heat to 375 F and continue to bake until the puffs are well browned and cooked through, about 35 more minutes. Rotate the baking sheets and switch rack positions halfway through baking. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Increase the oven to 400 F again and repeat with piping and baking the remaining batter.
    

Make the Pastry Cream

1. Gather the ingredients.

2. Whisk together 4 large egg yolks, at room temperature, 3 tablespoons cornstarch, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract in a medium bowl.

3. Place 2 cups whole milk and 1/2 cup granulated white sugar in a small saucepan and heat over medium-high just until tiny bubbles begin to form around the edges.

4. Slowly pour the scalded milk into the egg mixture while whisking to temper. Return the liquid to the pot and continue to whisk over medium-high heat until it starts to bubble and thicken. Remove from the heat and whisk in 5 tablespoons unsalted butter.

5. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, then cover with plastic wrap, gently pressing directly onto the surface of the mixture to prevent it from forming a skin. Chill until the pastry cream is cold, about 2 hours.

6. Once the pastry cream is cold, whisk or stir vigorously with a rubber spatula until smooth. Place the pastry cream into a piping bag fitted with a 1/3-inch circle piping tip.

Fill the Cream Puffs

1. Once the puffs are completely cooled, use a small paring knife to poke and twist small holes into the bottom of each one.

2. Insert the tip of the piping bag filled with pastry cream into the hole and squeeze until it feels heavy. Repeat with all the puffs.

Assemble the Cone Structure

1. Take a large sheet of poster board or construction paper and roll it into a cone. The cone should be 18 inches high with a 6-inch base. Cut off any excess at the bottom so it stands up like a party hat.

2. Cover the cone with a small piece of parchment paper and tape it shut.
   

3. Heavily spray two pieces of parchment paper with cooking spray and set on each half of a serving platter. Place prepared cone structure on parchment. This will ensure that the serving platter stays clean as you build the croquembouche.

Make the Caramel

1. Gather the ingredients.

2. Place 3 cups granulated white sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan, stir and wash down any sugar crystals stuck on the sides of the pot with your fingers.

3. Cook over medium-high heat, swirling the pan occasionally, until the caramel is light golden brown in color. Do not stir the mixture as this can cause the sugar to crystalize.

4. Remove from the heat, then carefully dip the tops of each cream puff into the caramel and place on the side of the cone starting at the bottom. Repeat and continue to build around each layer before moving upwards. You can dip one side of the puffs in a little caramel to help stick it to the next one.

   If the caramel becomes hard while you are working, reheat over medium-low until loosened.

5. Once the whole tower is built, let the caramel in the pan cool slightly until threads form when you lift a fork up from it. Dip the fork in the caramel and quickly swirl around the croquembouche, creating a web of caramel strands. Repeat as much or as little as you like. Let cool until the caramel is set.

6. Carefully remove the two pieces of excess parchment paper under the cone. Serve immediately.