Croquembouche

Ingredients

• water
• butter
• plain flour
• eggs
• milk
• vanilla bean
• egg yolks
• caster sugar
• plain flour
• cornflour
• caster sugar
• water

Steps

1. 1Make the choux. Bring water and butter to a boil, dump in the flour, and beat over low heat until the dough leaves the sides of the pan as a smooth ball.
2. 2Off the heat, beat in the eggs one at a time until you have a glossy paste that drops off the spoon in a slow ribbon.
3. 3Pipe 30–40 walnut-sized puffs onto lined trays. Bake at 200°C for 20 minutes, then drop to 170°C for 10 minutes more. Cool completely.
4. 4Make the crème pâtissière. Heat milk with the split vanilla. Whisk yolks with sugar and the two flours. Temper the hot milk into the yolks, return to the pan, and cook to a thick custard. Press cling film onto the surface and chill.
5. 5Pierce a small hole in the base of each puff and pipe in the crème.
6. 6Make the caramel. Combine sugar and water in a clean pan. Boil — without stirring — until amber. Working quickly and carefully, dip the top of each puff in caramel and stack into a cone, gluing each layer with more caramel.
7. 7Spin spare caramel between two forks to make the angel-hair finish. Drape over the tower. Eat the same day; humidity is the enemy.