Ingredients:
- 1 cup (240ml) water
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups (480ml) whole milk
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
- 6 large egg yolks
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (30g) cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (60ml) water
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup (optional, helps prevent crystallization)
Instructions:
- Combine water, butter, and salt in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove from heat, add flour, and stir vigorously until a smooth dough forms. Cool slightly, then beat in eggs one at a time until the dough is glossy and forms a ribbon when lifted. Pipe small mounds of dough onto prepared baking sheets. Bake until golden brown and puffed up, then let cool completely.
- Heat milk and vanilla bean (and seeds) in a saucepan. Whisk together egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in a bowl. Temper the egg mixture with some of the hot milk, then pour everything back into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens. Remove from heat, stir in butter, and strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Cover and chill until completely cold.
- Poke a small hole in the bottom of each cooled profiterole. Fill each profiterole with the chilled vanilla bean custard using a piping bag.
- Combine sugar, water, and corn syrup (if using) in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, without stirring, until the sugar dissolves and turns a golden amber color. Watch it like a hawk! Caramel burns easily. Remove from heat.
- Dip the base of each filled profiterole into the hot caramel. Attach the caramel-coated profiteroles to the cone, working in concentric circles from the base to the top. Work quickly as the caramel hardens. Drizzle any remaining caramel over the entire croquembouche.
- Allow the croquembouche to set completely before serving.