Golden Gaytime Croquembuche
INGREDIENTS:
CHOUX
40g butter, cut into small cubes
50g plain flour
2 eggs, at room temperature
TOFFEE CRÈME PATISSIERE:
65g cornflour
110g caster sugar
4 egg yolks
500ml full cream milk
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
TO DECORATE:
Caramilk chocolate, roughly chopped
Milk chocolate Melts
Golden Gaytime crumbs (or crushed Malt o Milk biscuits)
Spun sugar
Dollar Sweets Edible Gold Leaf
METHOD:
To make the choux, preheat oven to 200ºC (180ºC fan). Line a baking tray with silicon mat or baking paper.
Add butter to a small saucepan with 80ml water. Place over medium heat, stirring constantly for 3-4 mins until the butter has melted.
Remove from heat, add all of the flour in one go then beat vigorously using a wooden spoon until all the flour is incorporated.
Place the saucepan back over a low heat and cook, stirring until the mixture comes away from the sides of the pan and forms a ball (about 2 mins). Remove from heat and set aside for 5 mins to cool.
Crack each egg into a separate bowl and lightly whisk both eggs. Add one of the eggs to the cooled mixture, beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until incorporated.
Gradually add the remaining egg, a little at a time (you may not need to add all the egg), beating vigorously until the mixture slowly drops from the spoon but is still thick and holds shape.
Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a plain 1.5cm nozzle and pipe 10 even-sized mounds onto the prepared tray, ensuring they are at least 3cm apart as the pastry expands while cooking.
Bake for 20 mins until puffed and slightly darkened on top. Turn off oven, open door but leave choux inside for a further 10 mins to dry out, then remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
To make the toffee crème patissiere, combine cornflour and half the sugar in a medium bowl. Mix to combine, then add the yolks and whisk together to form a smooth paste. Add 125ml milk and stir to combine.
Combine remaining sugar and 2 tbsp of water in a small saucepan and cook over a medium heat (not stirring, but you can gently swirl!) until golden.
Add remaining milk and stir well, then add vanilla bean paste and stir well.
Bring mixture to a simmer then slowly pour over the top of the cornflour mixture, whisking constantly until all incorporated. Transfer the mixture back to the saucepan then cook over low-medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth.
Transfer to a bowl, cover with cling film then allow to cool completely in the fridge.
Transfer the cooled crème patissiere to a piping bag fitted with a large, open nozzle. Pipe each choux shell with crème patissiere.
In separate bowls, melt the Caramilk and milk chocolates. Dip the tops of half of the filled choux into melted Caramilk and the remaining half into milk chocolate, then sprinkle with Golden Gaytime crumbs (or crushed biscuits) to decorate.
TO ASSEMBLE:
one at a time, spread a little melted chocolate on the base of each choux. Arrange several choux onto a round cake base (or serving plate), using the melted chocolate base to “glue” the choux.
Once you have formed a filled circle, transfer to the fridge for 2 mins for the chocolate to set. Continue this process, building a choux tower by using melted chocolate to glue together the choux, refrigerating between layers to allow the chocolate to set and secure the tower.
Generously decorate with edible gold leaf and spun sugar (if using).