Celebratory Croquembouche
Wow! It's hard to believe that 2017 is here already and as well as being the year that Trump starts his presidency, the year we leave Europe and the 20th anniversary of when Dolly the sheep was cloned, it's also the year I attempted a croquembouche! Yes, one of those profiterole towers covered in spun sugar. Having made choux pastry just once before but finding the experience far less threatening that it appeared, I decided to attempt the King of profiteroles and what better excuse than the start of a New Year?!
To make these profiteroles extra special and as a last flurry of Christmas before the dark days of January, I filled each one with orange flavoured whipped cream and served it with a decadent chocolate sauce so for anyone who's New Year's resolution was to cut down on sugar, go and find a better one because this just isn't worth missing!
Ingredients:
100g unsalted butter
1 tsp caster sugar
1 tsp sea salt
200g plain flour
4 free range eggs
400ml whipping cream
zest of one orange (finely chopped)
300g granulated sugar
For the sauce:
175g dark chocolate
120ml water
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200C and line 2 large baking trays with baking paper.
2. To make the choux pastry, put the butter, sugar and salt in a pan with 325ml of water.
3. Bring to the boil then remove from the heat, add the flour and beat into a paste.
4. Then add the eggs one by one and mix continuously until silky and smooth.
5. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag with a plain, round nozzle and pipe balls the size of ping pong balls onto the baking paper, leaving enough room for expansion.
6. Wet your finger so that you can flatten the peaks made by the piping bag.
7. Bake for 15 mins until golden and puffy.
8. Remove from the oven and prick a small hole in each to let the steam out then return to the oven for 5 mins with the hole facing up.
9. Leave to cool.
1. Now make the cream by whipping the cream for about 5 mins until thick.
2. Then fold in the orange zest and transfer to a piping bag.
3. To fill the profiteroles, make a hole in the size of each (big enough for the piping bag nozzle) and squirt a dollop of cream inside. (It may take practice but it's worth it)!
4. Once all are filled, leave in a cool place while you make the toffee.
1. For the toffee add the granulated sugar to a saucepan with 50 ml of water.
2. Place over a high heat and, without stirring, leave to bubble for 5 mins (Watch it like a hawk to prevent burning)!
3. Leave the toffee to cool for a minute then dip the side of each profiterole in it to create your tower.
4. Once you have the desired structure, using a fork, drizzle the toffee quickly over it to create spun sugar!
1. Finally, for the chocolate sauce, place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan with the 120 ml of water in. Let the water simmer so the chocolate melts.
2. When the chocolate's smooth, add the water to it and mix for a few mins until smooth again.
ENJOY AND BE PROUD OF YOUR CREATION!!!
(Here's a photo of the profiteroles pre-bake)!
