Croquembouche: Choux Tower Set with Caramel

What you need

• 240 ml (1 cup) whole milk
• 75 g (6 tbsp) sugar for the cream
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 egg for the cream
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter for the cream
• 85 g (6 tbsp) unsalted butter for the choux
• 1 tbsp sugar for the choux
• 1/4 tsp salt, plus a pinch for the egg wash
• 180 ml (3/4 cup) water
• 125 g (1 cup) all-purpose flour, sifted
• 5 eggs for the choux, 4 for the dough, 1 for the egg wash
• 300 g (1 1/2 cups) sugar for the caramel
• 80 ml (1/3 cup) water for the caramel

Method

Restated from the original video

1. 1

   For the pastry cream, heat three-quarters of the milk with the cream sugar in a saucepan until it just boils, then take it off the heat.

2. 2

   In a bowl, whisk the cornstarch into the rest of the milk until smooth, then whisk in the whole egg and the yolks.

3. 3

   Whisk about a third of the hot milk into the egg mixture in a thin stream to warm it gently.

4. 4

   Bring the remaining milk back to a low boil, pour in the egg mixture and whisk constantly until thick and bubbling, 1-2 min.

5. 5

   Off the heat, whisk in the vanilla and the cream butter. Press plastic wrap onto the surface and chill until cold, about 2 hours.

6. 6

   Heat the oven to 220 °C (425 °F) and line two baking trays with baking paper.

7. 7

   For the choux, bring the choux butter, choux sugar, salt and water to a boil in a saucepan. Take it off the heat, tip in the flour all at once and beat until combined.

8. 8

   Return the pan to medium heat and keep stirring until the dough dries out and comes away from the sides as a smooth ball, 1-2 min.

9. 9

   Move the dough to a bowl and cool for 1 min. Beat in 4 of the eggs one at a time, mixing each in fully before the next, until glossy and thick enough to hold a soft peak.

10. 10

    Pipe rounds about 2.5 cm (1 in) wide and high onto the trays, spaced 2.5 cm (1 in) apart. Smooth any peaks with a wet fingertip.

11. 11

    Beat the last egg with a pinch of salt and brush it lightly over the piped dough.

12. 12

    Bake until well risen and lightly golden, about 10 min. Lower the oven to 175 °C (350 °F) and bake until dry and firm, about 20 min more. Cool on a rack.

13. 13

    Poke a small hole in the base of each choux and pipe in the cold pastry cream until each one feels heavy.

14. 14

    For the caramel, put the caramel sugar and caramel water in a heavy pan over medium heat. Cook without stirring, swirling the pan now and then, until it turns light amber, 10-12 min. Dip the base of the pan in cold water to stop it darkening.

15. 15

    Dip one side of a choux in the caramel and stick it to a serving plate. Build a ring of choux, then add rings of slightly smaller circles on top, gluing each one with caramel, until the tower narrows to a single choux. Hot caramel burns badly, so work with care.

16. 16

    Wave the remaining caramel over the tower with a fork to make thin threads, warming it gently if it thickens. Serve within a few hours, before the caramel softens.

Imported from cookaholicwife.com. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.