My Croquembouche Mountain

I can’t think of a better way to end the year than with the creation of a croquembouche.  It epitomizes everything I love about French pastry.  It’s stunning and yet simple, festive, and only solidifies in my mind what I want to do.  I really love everything about this pretty creation, all the way down to the immense challenge that it presented.  It was my mountain this year…and I like to think I reached the summit.  Here are just a few of the things I positively adore about this mountain of sweet.

• Choux pastry turned into profiteroles.  Butter, water, flour, and eggs.  It doesn’t get more simple than this, and yet these gorgeous puffs take some serious determination and patience.
• Sugar spun into whispy threads.  I learned how to do this from my baking mentor, Marda Stoliar, a couple of years ago, but hadn’t done it since.  It’s what gives the croquembouche that magical look that it has.
• It takes some building.  I love anything that makes me think in a more mechanical way about my creations.  It’s not always my strong point, but it makes another part of my brain work, and that combined with the creative part of me makes me way too excited!
• The name comes from the French words croque en bouche meaning “crunch in the mouth.”  You better believe I love that!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The sugared cranberries were my added touch.  I thought they would look like berries on a tree.  I think it would be so brilliantly striking to make a large one of these for a wedding.  Maybe 2011 will see this happen!  Until then, I’m on the search for my next mountain to climb. 🙂

Salty Caramel Croquembouche with Ricotta Cream

(recipe courtesy Fine Cooking-December 2010 issue)

For the pastry cream 

• 1-1/2 cups whole-milk ricotta
• 3 cups whole milk
• 3 large eggs
• 3 large egg yolks
• Table salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 6 Tbs. cornstarch
• 1 Tbs. pure vanilla extract
• 2-1/4 oz. (4-1/2 Tbs.) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

For the pâte à choux puffs 

• 7-1/2 oz. (15 Tbs.) unsalted butter
• 2-1/2 Tbs. granulated sugar
• Kosher salt
• 11-1/4 oz. (2-1/2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour, sifted
• 10 large eggs

For assembly

• 2-1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 Tbs. sea salt
• One 4×12-inch (approximately) foam cone, covered in foil (ideally gold)
• Toothpicks

Make the pastry cream 

1. Drain the ricotta in a fine sieve set over a small bowl in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.

Make and fill the pâte à choux puffs 

1. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Repeat with the remaining dough on freshly lined baking sheets.

Assemble the croquembouche 

1. Sort the puffs according to size: small, medium, and large. Transfer about half of the pastry cream to a piping bag fitted with a 1/4-inch plain tip (Ateco # 802 or #10). Poke the tip into the bottom of each puff and fill with the pastry cream, being careful not to overfill. Refill the pastry bag as needed.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.