Christmas Croquembouche
3.3
(11)
Ingredients
Makes 8 servings
For cream puffs
For filling
For assembly
Special Equipment
Preparation
Make cream puffs
Step 1
Preheat oven to 425°F. and butter and flour 2 baking sheets. Spoon pâte à chou into a large pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip and pipe about 55 mounds onto baking sheets, each about 1 1/2 inches in diameter, leaving 1 1/2 inches between mounds. With a finger dipped in water gently smooth pointed tip of each mound to round puffs. Bake puffs in upper third of oven 10 minutes, switching position of sheets in oven halfway through baking if necessary. Reduce temperature to 400°F. and bake puffs 20 minutes more, or until puffed and golden. Let puffs stand in turned-off oven 30 minutes. Transfer puffs to racks to cool. With a skewer poke a 1/4-inch hole in bottom of each puff. Puffs may be made 2 days ahead and kept in an airtight container. Recrisp puffs in 400°F. oven 5 minutes and cool before filling.
Make filling
Step 2
In bowl of a standing electric mixer beat pastry cream until just smooth and soft enough to fold in heavy cream (do not overbeat). In a chilled bowl with cleaned beaters beat heavy cream until it holds soft peaks. Fold whipped cream into pastry cream. Chill filling, covered, about 1 hour, or until cold.
Fill cream puffs
Step 3
Transfer filling to a large pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch plain top and barely fill each puff (do not overfill), putting filled puffs in a shallow baking pan.
Assemble croquembouche
Step 4
Using tape, cover cone with parchment paper. Place cone on turntable if using.
Step 5
Line a tray with wax paper. Working with 1 cream puff at a time, dip bottom in chocolate sauce, leaving top 1/3 inch uncoated and letting excess drip off, then arrange 1 ring of puffs around base of cone, placing as closely together as possible. Insert toothpick through each puff into cone to attach puff to cone, leaving end of toothpick sticking out (you'll push it in later with thimble).
Step 6
Attach second ring of puffs above first, again packing tightly and staggering so puffs in second ring are not directly above puffs in first ring. Continue in same manner to dip and attach remaining puffs. Finish covering cone with 1 puff attached to top of cone.
Step 7
Using thimble, push in toothpicks until not visible.
Step 8
Decorate by pushing candies and leaves into gaps between doughnut holes.
Step 9
To serve croquembouche, dismantle, 1 puff at a time.
Leave a Review
Reviews (11)
Back to TopFantastic dessert and very impressive. Will definitely make it again.
Anonymous
New York
12/30/2017
What doughnut holes???
Anonymous
12/14/2017
This is a great recipe for cream puffs as long as you don't need to make an actual croquembouche. This is my go-to recipe for cream puffs now except I always end up adding about an equal portion of whipped cream to the pastry cream (I also use the full recipe of pastry cream as opposed to a half batch as recommended by the recipe). Make sure you make these a day ahead and really fill them to the brim with cream. After they've been refrigerated for a day, they are the perfect texture.
jenjen31288
San Francisco, CA
7/9/2013
I made this for Christmas to rave reviews. The creme puffs definitely soften once the filling is in and they had great flavor. Like others, I didn't have enough to cover the cone. Next time I'll buy a smaller cone. I'm not sure what all the complaints are about besides there not being enough creme puffs to cover the 18" cone they suggest...the flavor is great and every last one was eaten and raved about. That's success in my book.
braumeri
London, Ontario
12/31/2010
Spectacular! And after I read the reviews I absolutely did not make the cream puffs :) I bought them, assembled with the chocolate sauce, and took ALL of the credit!! But it was absolutely worth it for the presentation. I needed a little bit more than one recipe of chocolate sauce, and actually I wound up needing 80 or so cream puffs to cover a 14" cone (not 55 puffs for an 18" cone like the recipe!). A couple of hints: Let the sauce cool and thicken before assembling, and I used cranberries to fill in the spots where the cone was showing and thought it was really pretty. Enjoyed 'making' it and will 'make' it again.
misstermilkscows
12/26/2009
gref
Anonymous
12/15/2009
Both my friends and my family consistently rave about my baking, but not this Christmas Eve. If you are very patient, you may end making something that you is good, but not great. The cream puffs were very hard ~ but don't worryy, because they do soften once they have the pastry inserted (after about 2 hrs). Like others, I did not have enough cream puffs to cover cones. I recommend either doubling the batch (huge work) or buying a smaller cone. I covered the back of my 'empty' cone with Holly. If you have a hard time having the tape adhere to the cone, use a toothpick until all the cream puffs are inserted. The concept is great ... very feastive, but like others, it was a ton of work that just didn't 'wow' others or me.
Anonymous
Brick, NJ
12/27/2008
I'm a gourmet cook, but honestly, I would never make cream puffs. You can buy them in excellent quality at professional bakeries, and make the most delicious filling and topping yourself! I've once made a Harley Davidson out of cream puffs with chocolate and sugar candy to hold it all together (for a party of 50). It was a huge hit!
Nadine
Brussels, Belgium
12/10/2008
I used a smaller cone that the recipe calls for, and I still did not have enough puffs to cover it. I was able to leave the back bare and I think that no one noticed, but it was still frustrating. The puffs were okay, but the filling was bland and icky, and the chocolate was too rich. I may be so critical because I've had perfect profiteroles at a local Italian restaurant, but I just don't think that these are worth the time and effort. It was a pretty cool presentation, and it was perfect for a tree-trimming party, but I'll find something else next time.
Anonymous
Baltimore
12/10/2008
For me this recipe was only halfway successful. I have made cream puff pastry before and have always been sure not to open the oven at all during baking or the puffs will fall. That is exactly what happened when I tried to follow the baking instrucions with this recipe, and I had to make them over with a different recipe. The filling is absolutely amazing and very easy to make. The chocolate sauce was good, but I decided to add some confectioner's sugar and unsweetened cocoa to make it thicker. I will try this recipe again and just keep the puffs in the center of the oven without opening it.
nicolelavalle
NY
12/4/2008
While slightly time consuming, this recipe was a huge hit! I made it for dinner on Christmas Eve and my guests absolutely raved! The cream puffs were delicious and the presentation was awesome!
hbryant
Fairview, OR
12/30/2007
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