https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/toffee-apple-croquembouche • Posted by Constable & Robinson
Serves 20 - 25 Just before I began to think about this book, somebody asked for a suggestion using toffee and apple and this gorgeous dessert was born. I love how baking and cooking fires up the creative side in me. I love the combination of soft pastry and cool, fruity custard with the crispy threads of caramel that binds the choux buns together. Beware, this is quite a tricky and time consuming recipe, and the filling is best made and chilled in advance
Serves 20 - 25 Just before I began to think about this book, somebody asked for a suggestion using toffee and apple and this gorgeous dessert was born. I love how baking and cooking fires up the creative side in me. I love the combination of soft pastry and cool, fruity custard with the crispy threads of caramel that binds the choux buns together. Beware, this is quite a tricky and time consuming recipe, and the filling is best made and chilled in advance
Preheat the oven to 190ºC/375ºF/Gas Mark 5. Spoon the choux pastry into a piping bag and pipe into mounds about the size of a cherry tomato on the lined trays, leaving plenty of space for them to rise and spread and allowing for about 40 buns per tray. Place the ice cube in a small ovenproof dish in the base of the preheated oven to create some steam and bake the buns on the middle shelf for 15 minutes.
Remove the choux buns from the oven and carefully, using the point of a sharp knife, make a small incision in the base of each bun. Return to the oven for 3 minutes, then leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
To make the filling, melt the butter in wide, shallow pan over a medium heat. Add the diced apples, cinnamon and sugar and allow to bubble and soften for 8–10 minutes. Using a hand-held stick blender, blitz the mixture until completely smooth. Return the apple purée to the pan, place over a medium heat and reduce by a third until thick, stirring frequently to prevent the puree scorching on the bottom of the pan. Leave to cool. To make the crème patissière, whisk the egg yolks in a bowl with the sugar, cornflour and a third of the milk until smooth.
Heat the rest of the milk in a medium pan until almost boiling, then pour it over the egg mixture, stirring constantly. Add the Calvados, return to the pan and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture boils and thickens. Simmer for a further minute to cook out the flour.
Stir the cooled apple sauce into the crème patissière and transfer to a jug to cool slightly and cover the surface with cling film to prevent a skin forming. Chill until ready to use.
Lightly whip the double cream and fold into the apple crème patissière using a large metal spoon. Spoon the mixture into the other piping bag and fill the choux buns by piping into the pre-made holes, or by splitting each bun horizontally and filling them using a teaspoon.
Make the caramel by putting the 300g caster sugar in a pan with a splash of water and slowly letting it melt over a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Bring the mixture to a boil until it turns a light caramel colour. Remove from the heat.
Take each filled bun and carefully dip the top into the hot caramel. Place on the cake board and begin to build up the buns in a pyramid pattern. If the caramel begins to harden, gently reheat until it liquefies, being careful not to let the caramel darken. Using two forks, drizzle any leftover caramel over the top of the finished pyramid.