Croquembouche: The Caramel Cream Puff Tower that has Captivated for Centuries! The Croquembouche is an iconic dessert of French pastry, a true culinary masterpiece. This tower of cream puffs, held together by a strand of golden, crunchy caramel, is a masterpiece of balance between sweetness and crunchiness. But what is the history of this fascinating dessert? Let’s discover it together!
The Origins of the Croquembouche
The origins of the Croquembouche date back to the 19th century and are linked to the great French chef Marie-Antoine Carême. Considered one of the founding fathers of modern cuisine, Carême was a true artist in the kitchen. He was the one who conceived this spectacular composition of cream puffs, perhaps inspired by the ancient pyramids of fruit and sweets that were prepared during festivities.
The Meaning of the Name
The name “Croquembouche” comes from French and literally means “crunch in the mouth.” This name perfectly describes the texture of this dessert, where the crunchiness of the caramel meets the softness of the cream puffs and the delicacy of the cream.
The Preparation of the Croquembouche
It requires mastery and precision. The cream puffs, soft and light, are filled with pastry cream or chantilly cream. Subsequently, they are dipped in hot caramel and arranged in a pyramid shape, one on top of the other. The caramel acts as an adhesive, holding the cream puffs together and creating a solid and scenic structure.
A Dessert for Special Occasions
The Croquembouche is a dessert that never goes unnoticed and is usually prepared for special occasions, such as weddings, baptisms, and birthdays. Its beauty and complexity make it a true masterpiece of pastry, capable of astonishing and delighting guests.
Below are other desserts for special occasions:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 1 Hour
- Portions: 10 People
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: French
- Seasonality: Christmas, New Year
- Energy 181.50 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 33.89 (g) of which sugars 31.70 (g)
- Proteins 3.43 (g)
- Fat 4.32 (g) of which saturated 1.37 (g)of which unsaturated 2.62 (g)
- Fibers 0.08 (g)
- Sodium 94.25 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 95 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Croquembouche (Caramel Cream Puff Tower)
- 20 cream puffs
- 2 cups pastry cream (or chantilly)
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 3 1/2 tbsps water
Tools
- Small Pot Lagostina Every Deep Casserole Ø 5.5 inches in Stainless Steel 18/10 with Lagoseal Plus Base, Satin Exterior and Wide Handles, Suitable for All Heat Sources, Including Induction
- Piping Bag MUV Reusable Silicone Piping Bag Professional for Cake and Dessert Decorations – With 6 Stainless Steel Nozzles
Steps for Croquembouche (Caramel Cream Puff Tower)
Prepare the cream puffs, or buy them ready-made. Then fill the bases with pastry cream by inserting it from the bottom using a piping bag.
Prepare the caramel. In a pot pour the water, add the sugar and bring to a boil over medium/low heat, without stirring. As soon as it turns amber, turn off the heat and dip the bottom of the pot in cold water for a few seconds, to stop the cooking. The caramel for glazing should be of a brown color, with a soft consistency, not completely fluid, so you need to stir continuously, to achieve the right softness. If it hardens, heat it in a bain-marie
Assemble the croquembouche. In pastry shops, they use plexiglass cones as a base for the cream puffs, which can then be easily removed. My advice is to make the dessert directly on the serving plate. First, dip the top part of the cream puffs in caramel and set aside for a few minutes. Then start creating a first round of cream puffs next to each other, following the circle of the plate, then pass some glaze on the surface of all the cream puffs, (make sure the glaze is not too liquid).
Fill the surface of the plate with more glazed cream puffs, so as to have a full first layer. Add a second layer of cream puffs, a third, and a fourth, to create a cone that becomes progressively narrower at the top. Finally, complete with a well-glazed central cream puff. Finally, heat the caramel a bit if it has become solid, dip the tips of a fork into it, and pull so that when lifting it forms very thin filaments, which you will wrap around the pyramid gently. Perform this operation a couple of times, let it cool, and your Croquembouche is ready
Storage
It keeps in the fridge for 2/3 days
It keeps in the fridge for 2/3 days
