The croquembouche is a classic of French pastry, often served on special occasions such as weddings and christenings.
It consists of a conical tower of cream puffs (choux) filled with pastry cream, bound together by crunchy caramel, and it can be decorated with threads of caramel that wrap around the tower, creating a scenic effect.
It was created by the French chef Marie-Antoine Carême in the 19th century.
Carême is considered one of the founding fathers of modern cuisine and a true culinary artist.
Originally, the dessert was known as “Croque-en-bouche” (crispy in the mouth) and consisted of a pyramid of nuts, candied chestnuts, and fruit before evolving into the version with cream puffs and caramel.
My version uses gluten-free choux pastry.
- Difficulty: Very difficult
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 80 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven, Stove
- Cuisine: French
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 3 1/8 cups water
- 10.5 oz butter
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 teaspoons sugar
- 3 1/2 cups gluten-free flour mix
- 12 eggs
- 2 1/8 cups pastry cream
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
Steps
In a saucepan, bring water, butter, salt, and sugar to a boil.
Pour in the entire flour mix at once, stirring vigorously until you get a compact dough that detaches from the pot.
Let it cool for 5–10 minutes.
Incorporate the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. The final dough should be shiny and form a “beak” when lifting the spoon.
Using a piping bag, form the cream puffs on parchment paper. Bake in a static oven at 392°F (200°C) for 25–30 minutes (do not open the oven during baking!).Once cooled, make a small hole at the base of each cream puff.
Using a piping bag, fill each puff with pastry cream.
In a saucepan, dissolve the sugar with water without stirring until you get a golden caramel.
Remove from heat and use immediately.Dip the top of each cream puff in the caramel and arrange them on a plate, forming a circular base.
Continue stacking the puffs in concentric circles, forming a pyramid.
Use the caramel as a “glue” between the cream puffs.
For a decorative touch, use a fork to create caramel threads around the tower.
Tips:
The caramel hardens quickly; work carefully and, if necessary, reheat slightly to keep it fluid.
To serve, use kitchen scissors to separate the cream puffs without damaging the structure.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
What is the recipe for pastry cream?
If you don’t use ready-made pastry cream, here’s the recipe:
4 egg yolks
3 tablespoons of cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
2 cups of whole milk
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
5 tablespoons of unsalted butter
In a bowl, beat the yolks with the sugar until the mixture is light.
Add cornstarch and salt, mixing well.
Heat the milk in a saucepan until almost boiling.
Slowly pour the hot milk over the egg mixture, stirring continuously.
Return everything to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the cream thickens.
Remove from heat, add the butter and vanilla extract, stirring until fully absorbed.
Cover with plastic wrap in contact and let it cool completely.
