Or better known as Croquembouche, this dessert takes the prize of wowing a crowd! While you could make this in a day, I don't suggest it. You will need to focus your every
moment of your day to make this. All attention must be to this preperation. It's been more than 10 years since I've made one. Actual, since first time I've made one, back at Tante Marie Cooking School, part time Pastry program. Since then, I've thought about making one 1000 times, but never set out the proper amount of time to make it happen. There's also the presentation of it. (This photo is of my 1st time making it in Pastry school.)
A few weeks ago I was making another dessert, when some of it went a wry, and I was left with a delicious chocolate mousse but needed somehow to use it. In a layered cake would have been the most simplest way to use it, instead I decided I would finally make a Croquembouche. And I would fill the choux puffs with this chocolaty goodness. I set out to make a batch of choux puffs the following weekend, but those the freezer until the next weekend when I could fill them and assemble the tower. I would make this and present it at our annual Dragonboat holiday party, in Washinton DC. Nevermind I live in Baltimore and had to figure a way to transport it and hope it did not fall apart.
Given we are in full holiday season mode, I added some drops of peppermint to the mousse and proceeded to fill the puffs. It was now time to create the sugar carmel. The glue that helps to form the tower.
Let me start by saying that a lot of love goes into everything I make, and no doubt a lot of love went into making this. But I cannot lie, in the final step of this showstopper, a lot of swear words went into finishing this piece. That, as well as lot of overcooked sugar, but let's not forget that this was my second time making this, the first time being more than 10 years ago. Piece by piece, the tower was finally complete! Now to place it in a box, then a bag, and situate it on the floor of the passenger side seat and make my way to DC. SUCCESS!! It made it in one piece, and off or the dessert table it went. I think I'll not wait another 10 years to try this again...
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