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Chef Mise
Croquembouche: A defy-gravity tower of caramel and danger.

Croquembouche

A defy-gravity tower of caramel and danger.

Total: 4 hrsDifficulty: HardYield: 4 Servings

Timing note: 4 hours

FrenchDairyDessert

The Key Move

The French wedding cake

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The Setup

  • Cutting Board
  • Chef's Knife
  • Mixing Bowls

The Mise en Place

3

Your prep station before cooking begins

The Pantry (0/2)

300 gchoux pastry(Baked and cooled (must be crisp))
200 gcaramel glue(Sugar and water, cooked to amber)

Other (0/1)

500 gcrème pâtissière(Chilled and piped into puffs)

My tower is leaning or collapsing!

Ah, the classic leaning tower of Croquembouche! This usually means your caramel was a touch too hot and runny when you assembled, or your base wasn't quite wide enough to support t…

My profiteroles are soggy, not crisp.

Humidity, my friend, is the arch-nemesis of crisp pastry. If your puffs are feeling a bit soft, it's almost certainly the weather. I strongly advise against making your Croquembouc…

Chef's Notes

Tip

Chill pastry cream thoroughly to prevent it from becoming too runny when assembling.

Tip

Use a piping bag with a small round tip for consistent choux pastry shapes.

Tip

Heat caramel to a deep amber for best flavor and to ensure it hardens properly.

Serving

Dust with powdered sugar or edible glitter for a festive finish.

The Method

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