Description
Parisian cream puff towers bring elegant French pastry magic to any celebration. Delicate choux pastry shells filled with silky cream and stacked into a dramatic centerpiece promise sweet perfection for dessert lovers.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups water
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 2 cups sugar
- 7–8 whole eggs
Structural Ingredients:
- ¾ cup butter
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 whole egg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons sugar
Flavoring and Binding Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1/8 cup cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ cup sugar (divided)
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Craft the delicate pate a choux dough by melting butter and water in a heavy pot, bringing the mixture to a vigorous boil.
- Swiftly incorporate sifted flour, salt, and sugar into the bubbling liquid, stirring until a cohesive dough forms.
- Allow the dough to cool slightly, then introduce eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly to create a smooth, pipe-able consistency.
- Carefully pipe uniform rounds onto a prepared baking sheet, ensuring consistent sizing for even baking.
- Initiate baking at a high temperature of 450°F, then reduce heat to 350°F to ensure perfectly golden, crisp pastry shells.
- Create a luxurious pastry cream by gently heating milk and sugar, then tempering egg yolks and cornstarch with the warm liquid.
- Cook the custard mixture until it transforms into a thick, velvety cream, then enhance with butter and vanilla extract.
- Chill the pastry cream thoroughly, covering the surface to prevent skin formation.
- Prepare a delicate caramel by heating sugar, water, and cream of tartar until it reaches a light amber hue and precise temperature.
- Carefully dip the bottoms of cooled pastry shells into the caramel, creating a sticky base for tower construction.
- Strategically arrange the caramel-dipped shells in progressively smaller circular layers, building an elegant conical structure.
- Craft ethereal spun sugar by drizzling caramel threads over a parchment surface, creating delicate sugar strands.
- Adorn the cream puff tower with gossamer-like spun sugar, draping the fragile threads to create a breathtaking, sculptural dessert centerpiece.
Notes
- Master the art of precise temperature control to achieve perfectly crisp and golden choux pastry puffs.
- Tempering eggs carefully prevents scrambling and ensures a silky smooth pastry cream with luxurious texture.
- Work swiftly when creating spun sugar, as caramel hardens quickly and requires nimble hand movements.
- Use plastic wrap directly on pastry cream’s surface to prevent skin formation and maintain creamy consistency.
- Clean tools and work surfaces are crucial when handling delicate caramel to prevent crystallization and ensure smooth results.
- Create a stunning visual impact by carefully layering puffs in a gradual circular pattern for an impressive tower presentation.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 303
- Sugar: 21 g
- Sodium: 22 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 63 mg