Recipe Detail Page

1. For the puffs, heat oven to 425°F (218°C)
 
2. Remove eggs from fridge to bring to room temperature. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
 
3. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring water, butter, sugar and salt to a boil. Turn heat to low. Gradually whisk in flour. Stir mixture constantly with a wooden spoon until it pulls away from sides of pan, about 3 minutes.
 
4. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and cool 5 minutes.  
 
5. Using an electric mixer, beat in 8 eggs, adding one at a time, and beating well after each addition. Dough should be thick, shiny and smooth.
 
6. Dip two big spoons in water, then shake off excess. Using one spoon, scoop up a large walnut-size piece of dough. Use the other spoon to scrape it onto one parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, leaving 1 inch (2.5 cm) between pieces, until one pan is filled. (You’ll prep and bake second pan once first is in the oven.) Whisk remaining egg with 1 tsp (5 mL) water. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush egg wash over each piece of dough.
 
7. Bake 15 minutes. Then reduce heat to 325°F (163°C) and continue baking 10 more minutes.
 
8. Remove puffs to a rack to cool. Using a metal skewer poke a small hole in the side of each puff to let steam escape so they will not be soggy inside. (You can later use this hole to pipe in the filling.) While the first pan is baking, fill another pan with puff dough and brush with egg wash. Repeat until all dough is used. This makes about 45 puffs. They will keep well, uncovered, at room temperature overnight.
 
9. For cream filling, in a bowl whisk cornstarch, 1/4 cup (60 mL) sugar and salt together. Whisk in egg yolks until no lumps remain.
 
10. In a medium-size heavy-bottom saucepan, heat milk and 1/2 cup (125 mL) sugar together until it comes to a boil, whisking until sugar is dissolved. Pour half into a measuring cup or pitcher.
 
11. Take pan off the burner and turn burner to low. While whisking constantly, slowly pour about 3 tbsp (45 mL) hot milk-sugar mixture into egg-yolk mixture. Then continue to add in a thin stream, whisking constantly.
 
12. Pour the whole mixture back into the milk-sugar mixture in saucepan. Put the pan on burner turned to low. Whisk slowly but constantly, occasionally running a spatula around side and bottom of pan, until mixture is thickened. This will take 8 to 10 minutes. If it starts to boil, reduce heat. As soon as it is thickened, remove pan from heat.
 
13. Using a wooden spoon slowly stir in rum extract, then butter, a tablespoon at a time. Pour mixture into a bowl. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface and refrigerate until cool, at least 3 hours or up to 1 day.
 
14. Fill puffs close to the time you will be creating the tower, because they will soften once filled and should be served within 3 hours. Gently stir cold filling to loosen a little. Fit a piping bag with a 1/4-inch (5-mm) round tip. Fill bag with cream filling. Insert tip into hole in a puff and fill with cream filling. Repeat for all puffs. Place filled puffs on sheet pans.
 
15. For the caramel, combine sugar, water and corn syrup in a large heavy-bottom saucepan. Place over medium heat. Cover and heat just until it comes to a boil. Do not stir. Then uncover and continue cooking. When it turns a straw colour, swirl the pan occasionally and continue cooking until mixture has a nutty aroma, has turned an amber colour and registers 360°F (182°C) on a candy thermometer. Immediately remove from burner and immerse bottom of pan in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Sugar will continue to darken. While you want all the sugar to become an amber colour, it’s better to remove from the burner too soon rather than too late because you can always return the pan to the burner if it is not dark enough after sitting.
 
16. To assemble, using long tongs, dip top of filled puffs in caramel. Then place on a sheet pan. Form round base of croquembouche  with eight to 10 puffs, placing them caramel side up. Then fill centre with puffs to help hold the second layer in place. Add a second smaller layer using 7 to 8 puffs. Use more caramel, if needed, to stick them together. Continue adding layers, with fewer puffs each time, until a tower is formed. If caramel becomes too thick, gently reheat.
 
17. To make a spun-sugar web around the tower, wait until caramel cools to a honey consistency. With a spoon, drizzle thin strands of caramel around the tower. Or set out two large sheet pans. Dip a spoon or large fork into the caramel, then wave back and forth over the pans creating a web of caramel. When cool, carefully pick up web in pieces and lean it against the tower. Serve croquembouche within 3 hours.