Monday 9 June 2014

Croquembouche - Part 2 - the custard and construction


Ok, so you've made the profiteroles, now it's time to stuff them with yummy custard and build a big towering croquembouche - or like my Twitter friend Rosie calls them, a Croquemthing.

You need to make a custard - I like to make mine half with vanilla custard and half chocolate, but you could really make any flavours you like. here is the boring hoomin format recipe for the custard.....



Creme Patissiere for Profiteroles and Croquembouches

Ingredients
  • 3 cups milk
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup sifted plain flour
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tspn vanilla essence
  • 100 g dark cooking chocolate
Cooking Directions
  1. Combine flour and sugar in a medium saucepan.
  2. Stir in the milk and continue stirring until mixture bubbles.
  3. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens.
  4. Remove from heat and mix 1 cup of the hot mixture into the beaten eggs.
  5. Return egg mixture to saucepan and cook until thickened, stirring all the time. Do not allow to boil.
  6. When thickened, pour half of the mixture into a separate bowl. To this half, add the vanilla extract.
  7. Add the chocolate (broken into small pieces) to other half of custard and stir until chocolate is melted and mixed through.
  8. Cover custards with plastic wrap and let cool completely.

And here we go BEAR STYLE..... (sorry the pictures aren't so great - I had to take my selfies with an Eye Phone)

Stir the flour and sugar into the milk and keep stirring over a medium heat till thickened......


Beat up your eggs and when the milk mixture is thick, add a cup of it to the eggs and mix, mix, mix. Then return the egg mixture to the pan and keep stirring over a low heat till it's nice and thick.....


If you're super smart (like ME), you can delegate here - get your mummy or another bear to do the boring stirring while you do something more important like......EAT SOME CHOCOLATE!!


OK! Back to the custard. When it's nice and thick take it off the heat and separate out 1/2 of it.....


Add the vanilla to one half, and the chocolate to the other half.....


Stir the chocolate through till it's nice and melted and mixed right through......


Then cover the custards with plastic wrap (this stops a skin from forming over them) and wait till they are completely cooled. You may have to guard them during this time - in case any other bears get custardy ideas!!


You then need to pipe the custard unto the profiteroles. I do it the old fashioned way - with a piping bag and nozzle. Here's a good way to fill the piping bag if you don't have 3 paws, or have very short arms like me - pop it into a tall glass or jug so you can just pour the custard into it :)


When all your profiteroles are filled, pop them into the fridge until you're ready to assemble your dessert.

Then make your toffee.......

SO - here's how it should go.......put 1 cup of sugar and 1/3 cup of water into a small saucepan and stir over heat until sugar has dissolved. Then cook over medium heat without stirring until light golden brown.
here is the point where I should have taken it off the heat......


But Silly Billy! I thought "just a few seconds more" and with caramel that's all it takes to go from perfect to OH MY GOODNESS IT'S TURNING BLACK!!!! and all the smoke detectors ringing.

*sigh*

Plan B - melt some chocolate and use THAT as your glue.





And there you have it - a yummy choc covered Croquemthingy - all heaps easier than hoomins make it out to be!




Only one thing left to do now friend.......nom nom nom!

Bill xx


4 comments:

  1. I can't believe that anyone would get custardy ideas! Lol great work!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hehehe - there's a LOT of stuffies in this house - and we all love custard!

      Delete
  2. goodness ... that also I like profiteroles ...

    ReplyDelete