Yield: Yields about 70 cream puffs, more than enough for a 12-inch-tall croquembouche
This modern version of the French classic features ricotta cream filling for the puffs and a sea salt caramel coating. Serve this festive dessert the day it’s assembled.
Watch the two-part video series on How to Make Croquembouche to see this centerpiece dessert come together step by step. The videos include detailed instructions along with tips to ensure success—even if it is your first time taking on this recipe.
Warm the milk in a heavy-duty 3-quart saucepan over medium heat until steaming, 3 to 4 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs, egg yolks, and 1/2 tsp. salt in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in the sugar. Whisk in the cornstarch and vanilla until smooth.
Slowly whisk a little of the hot milk into the egg mixture to warm it, then whisk the mixture into the pot of milk. Whisk in the butter and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the pastry cream is very thick and registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer, 2 to 3 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve into a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it onto the surface of the cream, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Purée the ricotta in a food processor until very smooth, about 8 minutes. Stir it into the pastry cream and refrigerate until ready to use or for up to 1 day.
Bring 2-1/2 cups of water and the butter, sugar, and 1-1/4 tsp. salt to a boil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-low heat. When the butter melts, remove from the heat and add the flour. Set the pan over low heat and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a smooth ball that pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on low speed until cool to the touch. On medium-low speed, beat in the eggs one by one, mixing until each is fully incorporated before adding the next.
Let the dough cool for about 10 minutes. Transfer half of the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip (Ateco #806). Onto 2 parchment-lined rimmed baking sheets, pipe small, 1-1/2-inch-high mounds (like chocolate kisses) at 2-inch intervals. Smooth the surface of the mounds with a wet finger.
Lower the oven temperature to 375°F and bake, rotating the sheets from top to bottom after 10 minutes, until the puffs are evenly golden-brown, 20 to 25 minutes total. Turn off the oven and remove the puffs from the oven. Prick the side of each puff with a paring knife to release the steam. Return the puffs to the turned-off oven with the door ajar to dry them for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the puffs from the baking sheets and transfer to a rack to cool.
Repeat with the remaining dough on freshly lined baking sheets.
Have a large bowl of ice water ready. Put the sugar and salt in a 3-quart heavy-duty saucepan. Add 2/3 cup water and swirl to moisten the sugar. Cover and boil over high heat until starting to turn golden around the edges, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the lid and cook, swirling occasionally, until the caramel is light golden, 1 to 2 minutes more. Immediately put the bottom of the pot in the ice water to stop the cooking. Remove the pot from the water and put it on a heatproof surface.
Have a small bowl of ice water nearby. Put the foil-wrapped cone on a serving platter. Insert a toothpick about 1 inch from the base of the cone. Dip the side of a large cream puff into the hot caramel to coat the side and about a third of the top of the puff. Immediately press the cream puff onto the toothpick, with the top facing out. Insert another toothpick parallel to the first pick, positioning it so that the next puff will fit snugly against its neighbor. Dip another cream puff and nestle it against the first. Repeat, making your way up and around the cone, working from the largest to the smallest puffs. If you get any hot caramel on your fingers, immediately dip them into the ice water to stop the burn.
As the caramel cools and thickens, it will begin to spin into long, thin threads as you pull the puffs from the pot. Before attaching the puff, circle the cone with the puff so the spun caramel drapes the croquembouche. When the caramel becomes too thick to dip, swirl it over low heat to thin it—it will darken a little each time you do this.
When the cone is completely covered with puffs, dip a fork into the caramel and continue to pull the caramel threads from the pot and spin them around the croquembouche until you’re happy with its appearance. Serve any extra cream puffs on the side.
Make Ahead Tips
The pastry cream can be made up to one day ahead and refrigerated, covered. The puffs are best used the same day they’re made, but they can be made one day ahead and stored (unfilled) in an airtight container at room temperature. You can assemble the croquembouche up to 2 hours ahead provided it’s not too humid; a moist environment will cause the caramel to soften. Don’t refrigerate the croquembouche.
I'm just going to mention the cream because that's as far as I've gotten so far. Is it me or 6Tbp of corn starch crazy? it turned out super lumpy :(........and I taste corn starch......maybe there is an error and it should be 6tsp?
Made this for a holiday party last night along with the other desserts shown the Dec. 2010 Fine Cooking article. I'm glad I read the various reviews and allowed plenty of time for preparation and assembly. I neglected to watch the "Pate A Choux" video and added the flour slowly to the hot milk mixture instead of all-at-once which probably was the cause for the dough being too wet and needing more flour to stiffen. It worked out eventually and I agree with many reviewers that it is a wonder to behold but still produces problems with the eating. Have some puffs on the side and that will help with actually getting to eat some of it. Also, if anything is left over on the cone at the end of the event then I'd suggest disassembling it as we didn't and there was a puddle of melted caramel on the table the next morning. All in all it was a triumph with lots of compliments.
We must have gone wrong somewhere with the pate a choux. It didn't form a ball until I another 2 cups of flour and then when we piped it on to the sheet it just made a blob that looked more like a cookie then a puff after cooking.Didn't care much for the pastry cream either. If I make it again first I wont use this recipe and second no ricotta.P.S. Why not mix the sugar and cornstarch before adding to pastry cream mixture to cut down on lumps?
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