As the first snow of the year fell on a clear Saturday night, the season of Christmas felt as if it had officially begun. Though the whimsy of the holiday sometimes fades throughout the final season, the fanciful croquembouche can light up your winter break.

Christmas is always a time of magic for children. The abundance of presents and smiles on everyone’s faces only add to the wonder of the season. The usual warm cookies on the counter and the sparkling Christmas lights, or even the glittery ornaments on the tree, create the nostalgic trademark of a decorated family home. The details of the tree vary from family to family, but overall, the celebration of Christmas with family and friends marks the holiday season.

This Christmas tree-shaped dessert–which in French means “crunch in the mouth”–could bring excitement to your next festive celebration. The croquembouche consists of mini cream puffs stacked together and dipped in caramel. This glistening dessert is not only delicious but also a beautiful centerpiece. The sweet, light pastry cream with the crunch of the caramel meld together, creating a sugary, delightful bite anyone could enjoy.

The original cream puff recipe can be found here thanks to Nino’s Home, and the caramel recipe can be found here thanks to The Spruce Eats.

Yield: 1 croquembouche

Custard Ingredients

• 2 egg yolks
• 60g granulated sugar
• 25g cornstarch
• 240ml milk

Whipped Cream Ingredients

• 180ml whipping cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Choux Pastry ingredients

• 130ml water
• 50g butter
• 70g flour
• 2 eggs
• Caramel Ingredients
• 1 cup sugar
• 6 tbsp water

Step 1:

To make the custard, warm milk in a medium pot until hot on the stove (it should not be boiling). While waiting for the milk to warm, combine the eggs, sugar, and cornstarch in a medium bowl until smooth.

Step 2:

While stirring the egg mixture, pour in the hot milk, making sure to continue whisking so the eggs do not clump together. Once smooth, pour back into the pot.

Step 3:

Heat the mixture over medium heat until a jelly texture forms. Remember to stir once in a while. Once done, transfer to a clean bowl and cling wrap the custard. Make sure the cling wrap directly touches the custard so it does not form a skin. Transfer to the refrigerator.

Step 4:

Preheat the oven to 375°F. To make the choux pastry, boil the water and butter together, stirring is optional. Once boiled, take the mixture off the stove and stir in the flour in the same pot. Wait for 10-15 minutes before moving on to the next step.

Step 5:

Add the eggs into the mixture and stir until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add a little bit of the egg whites left over from the custard. The choux pastry should be able to hold its shape but fall off the spoon.

Step 6:

Using a piping back and a round piping tip, pipe the choux pastry onto a lined baking sheet. Each pipe’s creampuff should be about an inch wide and be half an inch tall. When piping make sure the choux pastry is not squished and stays in its round shape. Try to pipe at least 31.

Step 7:

Bake for 25 minutes. Once done, check to make sure they are golden brown. Do not open the oven right away, but instead crack the oven open and allow them to cool in the oven for at least 30 minutes.

Step 8:

Once the cream puffs are out of the oven and are fully cooled, using a stand mixer or a hand mixer, whip the whipping cream until medium peaks. Add the vanilla extract as well.

Step 9:

Whip the cooled custard until smooth and then fold the custard into the whipped cream to make the pastry cream.

Step 10:

Using a round piping tip, pipe the pastry cream into the cream puffs. Repeat with all the cream puffs.

Step 11:

To make the caramel, heat the sugar and water on medium-high heat until golden brown (it will continue to darken as it cools). Working fast and carefully, dip the tops of the cream puffs into the caramel and let them harden. If your caramel hardens, reheat it again for a few minutes.

Step 12:

Dip the side of a cream puff and place it sideways on a plate to start forming the croquembouche. Repeat with the cream puffs to make a round of 7. The round should have 7, 7, 6, 5, 3, 2, and 1 cream puffs as you build your tower using the caramel.

Step 13:

Dip a fork into the caramel and twirl it around your tower to create strings around the croquembouche. Once satisfied with the aesthetics of the tower, the dessert is ready to be enjoyed!