I made a mini Croquembouche!

heavy cream

🥗Healthier: Greek yogurt

💰Cheaper: whipped topping

Greek yogurt reduces calories while maintaining creaminess

caramel

🥗Healthier: honey

💰Cheaper: sugar syrup

Honey provides sweetness with fewer processed ingredients

Start by making the crackling for the croquembouche.

In a stand mixer, cream together brown sugar and salted butter until lighter in color.

Add plain flour to the creamed mixture and mix until incorporated.

Pour the crackling dough onto two sheets of baking paper and squish it into a circle.

Roll out the crackling dough between the baking papers to about 1 to 2 mm thick.

Place the rolled crackling dough on a tray and freeze until ready to use.

Prepare the crème diplomat by heating whole milk and vanilla extract in a pot over medium to low heat until hot but not boiling.

In a separate bowl, whisk together one egg, one egg yolk, castor sugar, and corn flour until pale in color.

Once the milk is hot, slowly pour it into the egg mixture while whisking to prevent scrambling.

Pour the mixture back into the pot and cook over medium heat, whisking continuously until thick and creamy, about 5 minutes.

Once thickened, transfer the custard to a bowl and cover with glad wrap pressed against the surface to prevent a film from forming. Let it cool at room temperature, then refrigerate.

To make the choux pastry, add butter, a tiny bit of sugar, salt, and water to a pot over gentle heat until melted.

Add plain flour to the melted mixture and mix vigorously with a wooden spoon until glossy.

Return the mixture to heat and cook until a film develops on the bottom of the pot, indicating moisture has cooked out.

Spread the dough around the sides of the bowl to cool slightly before adding eggs.

Crack four eggs into a jug, whisk together, and incorporate them into the choux pastry little by little until the desired consistency is reached.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens