Description
Delectable cream puff tower showcases classic French pastry artistry with elegant choux pastry and silky cream. Guests will marvel at this showstopping dessert that combines delicate textures and rich flavors for a memorable culinary experience.
Ingredients
Scale
- 7–8 whole eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 ½ cups water
- ¾ cup butter
- 2 tbsps butter
- ½ cup sugar (divided)
- ½ cup water
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 whole egg
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- 1/8 cup cornstarch
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tsps sugar
- ½ tsp cream of tartar
Instructions
- Dough Preparation: Melt butter and water in a heavy pot, bringing to a rolling boil. Rapidly mix sifted flour, salt, and sugar into the liquid, stirring until a unified dough forms. Cool slightly, then integrate eggs one at a time, creating a smooth, pipeable consistency.
- Baking Process: Pipe uniform rounds onto a prepared baking sheet. Initiate baking at 450°F, then immediately reduce temperature to 350°F, ensuring golden, crisp pastry shells develop perfectly.
- Pastry Cream Creation: Gently heat milk and sugar, carefully tempering egg yolks and cornstarch with the warm liquid. Cook the mixture until it transforms into a thick, velvety cream. Enhance with butter and vanilla extract, then thoroughly chill, covering the surface to prevent skin formation.
- Caramel Construction: Heat sugar, water, and cream of tartar until reaching a light amber color and precise temperature. Delicately dip cooled pastry shells’ bottoms into the caramel, creating a sticky foundation for tower assembly.
- Tower Assembly: Strategically arrange caramel-dipped shells in progressively smaller circular layers, constructing an elegant conical structure with precision and artistic flair.
- Decorative Finishing: Craft delicate spun sugar by drizzling caramel threads over a parchment surface. Adorn the cream puff tower with gossamer-like sugar strands, creating a breathtaking, sculptural dessert centerpiece that captivates and delights.
Notes
- Precise Temperature Control: Baking requires strict temperature shifts from 450°F to 350°F to achieve perfectly crisp, golden pastry shells without burning.
- Moisture Management: Cover pastry cream surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent skin formation and maintain smooth, creamy texture during chilling.
- Caramel Consistency Matters: Watch sugar mixture carefully, aiming for light amber color and correct temperature to ensure stable tower foundation and glossy caramel coating.
- Sugar Strand Success: Work quickly when creating spun sugar, as delicate threads can become brittle and break if not handled with gentle, swift movements.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 25 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg