Lavender Croquembouche
Ingredients
- 1 cups water
- 0.5 cups unsalted butter
- 1 cup plain flour
- 4 eggs
- 1 pinch of salt
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 tablespoons dried lavender buds
- 4 egg yolks
- 0.5 cups caster sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (for custard)
- 2 cups caster sugar (for caramel)
- 0.5 cups water (for caramel)
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar (for dusting)
Instructions:
- Infuse the lavender milk: Pour 2 cups of whole milk into a small saucepan and add 2 tablespoons of dried lavender buds. Heat gently over medium-low until steaming—do not boil. Remove from heat, cover, and leave to infuse for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Make the lavender custard: Strain the infused milk, discarding the lavender. In a bowl, whisk 4 egg yolks, 0.5 cups caster sugar, and 3 tablespoons cornstarch together until pale. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Return to the saucepan over medium heat, stirring continuously until the custard thickens. Remove from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (for custard). Press cling wrap directly onto the surface and refrigerate until fully cold.
- Make the choux pastry: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). In a saucepan, bring 1 cup of water, 0.5 cups of unsalted butter, and 1 pinch of salt to a rolling boil. Add 1 cup plain flour all at once and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until the dough pulls away from the sides and forms a smooth ball.
- Add the eggs: Remove the pan from the heat and let the dough cool for 5 minutes 05:00. Add 4 eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, until the dough is smooth, glossy, and falls from a spoon in a slow, thick ribbon.
- Pipe and bake the puffs: Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe small mounds (about 1.5 inches wide) onto lined baking trays, spacing them apart. Dampen your fingertip and smooth any peaks. Bake until deeply golden and hollow-sounding when tapped on the base. Do not open the oven during baking.
- Cool and fill the puffs: Transfer puffs to a wire rack and leave to cool completely. Once cold, use a skewer to poke a small hole in the base of each puff. Transfer the lavender custard to a piping bag with a small round tip and fill each puff until you feel it resist slightly.
- Make the caramel: Combine 2 cups caster sugar (for caramel) and 0.5 cups water (for caramel) in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat without stirring until the caramel turns a deep amber. Remove from heat immediately—it will continue to darken. Work quickly from this point; the caramel sets fast.
- Build the tower: Dip the top of each filled puff into the caramel and begin stacking in a circle on your serving plate or cone mold, using the caramel as glue. Build upward in diminishing rings, dipping and sticking each puff as you go. Work quickly before the caramel sets. If it hardens in the pan, reheat gently.
- Glaze and finish: Use a fork to drizzle any remaining caramel in thin threads over the finished tower for a golden, spun-sugar effect. Dust lightly with 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar (for dusting) and serve within a few hours while the caramel is still crisp.
