CHOUX PASTRY

1. Heat the oven to 170°C, fan forced.
2. In a large saucepan, bring the water, sugar, salt, and butter to the boil.
3. Remove from the heat, add the flour, and stir to form a paste.
4. Return to the heat, stirring continuously until the dough develops an oily sheen.
5. Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
6. Lightly whisk the eggs in a jug.
7. While mixing the dough on low-medium speed, slowly add the eggs, ensuring full incorporation after each addition. You may not need to add all the egg. Test the consistency regularly by taking a spoonful of the mixture and holding it on its side; it should slide off very slowly when ready.
8. Transfer the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a star piping tip.
9. Pipe 30mm diameter rosettes of the mixture onto a baking tray lined with a silicon baking mat or sheet of baking paper.
10. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 12 minutes, then reduce to 150°C and bake for a further 15 minutes, or until golden-brown in colour.
11. Turn off the oven, open the door and allow the choux to sit inside for 10 minutes to dry out.

Note: Depending on your oven size, you may need to bake the choux in batches. Pipe what fits in the oven immediately and keep the remaining mixture in the piping bag until ready to bake.

COFFEE & CHOCOLATE CREME PATISSIERE

1. In a large saucepan, bring the milk and vanilla to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk the cornstarch and sugar by hand to combine.
3. Add the egg yolks to the cornstarch and sugar and whisk to form a paste.
4. Gradually pour the hot milk over the paste while whisking to combine.
5. Return the egg mixture to the saucepan and whisk continuously over medium heat until it comes to a boil.
6. Once boiling, continue whisking for a further minute.
7. Transfer to a clean bowl and add the butter, one piece at a time, while emulsifying with a stick blender.
8. Transfer half the creme patissiere into another bowl, add the chocolate and whisk by hand until completely melted and combined.
9. Use the espresso cold brew function on the Jura Coffee Machine to produce 25ml of coffee.
10. To the other bowl, add the espresso cold brew and whisk to combine.
11. Cover the bowls with plastic wrap touching the surface and cool at room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours.
12. Once chilled, transfer the creme patissiere into separate piping bags fitted with 8mm round piping tips.
13. Use a small serrated knife in a twisting motion to cut a small hole, big enough to fit the piping tips, in the bottom of each choux bun.
14. Fill half the choux buns with the chocolate creme patissiere, and the other half with the coffee creme patissiere.

TOFFEE

Notes:

• Make sure the pot you use to prepare the toffee is not too large, as this will result in the toffee being too shallow for dipping the choux buns.
• To control the colour of the toffee and to avoid waste, create the toffee in two batches. Each batch should use 300ml water, 750g caster sugar, and 150g liquid glucose.
• You may need to prepare an additional batch of toffee, if it becomes too dark from reheating.

1. Fill a bowl large enough to submerge the base of a large saucepan with cold water and ice.
2. For the first batch of toffee, place the water and sugar in a large saucepan and bring to the boil.
3. Add the glucose and bring to 170°C, then immediately dip the base of the saucepan into the bowl of ice water for a few seconds.
4. Once the bubbles in the toffee dissipate, carefully dip each choux bun into the toffee, then transfer them onto a sheet of baking paper. If the toffee begins to thicken, gently reheat it unless it has formed a crust.
5. Repeat the process for all choux buns, creating the second batch of toffee when required.
6. Using the remaining toffee, assemble the croquembouche immediately as per the instructions below.

ASSEMBLY

1. For the first row of your croquembouche, dip each choux bun into the toffee and use it to adhere them to the serving plate. Use a 160mm diameter cake board as a guide for positioning, removing the cake board before completing the first row.
2. Build the croquembouche by insetting each new row of choux buns by approximately 3-4mm, adhering them to the row below with some toffee.
3. Once assembled, create the spun sugar immediately.

SPUN SUGAR

1. Spray the handles of 2 wooden spoons with vegetable oil, then place them on the bench so they are approximately 300mm apart, with the handles hanging over the edge of the bench.
2. Cover the floor underneath the spoon handles with newspaper.
3. Prepare a batch of toffee using the water, sugar, and glucose as per the instructions above.
4. Using the toffee at a slightly cooler temperature than when dipping the choux buns, dip 2 forks into the toffee and flick them between the 2 spoon handles to create thin strands of sugar.
5. Continue until you have a large enough layer of spun sugar, then drape it around the croquembouche.

Note: Once assembled, the croquembouche will last for a maximum of 6 hours.

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