Has anyone made one? I am concerned about timing/delivery/serving. also I have no idea how to price this. They want around 200 pieces in it....thinking about making two instead of one big one. thoughts?
AHaha, someone watched the American Baking show last week!
I've made many of these. They should not be made too far in advance, especially if they're filled. I suggest you make a couple before taking the order. That will give you a sense of what's involved and how big each piece should be to create the size they want.
Yes, I have made plenty, but more importantly, have you made one? If not, don't even think about taking the order without doing a practice run.
Humidity and time are it's worst enemies. Traditionally, you serve 3 profiteroles per guest if it is the only dessert.
The choux is the only thing that can really be made ahead of time, as it freezes well. Then you need to defrost, fill, dip, stack and decorate within several hours of serving, not to mention actually make the filling, and caramel, and spun sugar, (not delivery time, but actual the actual serving time).
I'm the only baker stupid enough in my area, (that I know of), that will make them large enough for weddings.
Everytime I swear it's the last time, lol, I won't take any other orders for that day, the last one I did took me 6 hours to fill/assemble.
Ingredients are not all that expensive, the main charge is labour.
There is an Italian version where the profiteroles are dipped in chocolate, those are easier, but still can't be made too far ahead of time. They are definitely sturdier though, especially if there is heat or humidity involved.
I did one last summer. It was about 3 feet tall. I also supplied additional 'filled puffs' to meet the # of servings needed.
MimiFix gives good advice to make at least one ahead of time to give you a sense of what's involved and how long it will take. I had a problem making the spun sugar. It cools and hardens so quickly, I had two batch going at a time to build the croquembouche. I also used a dowel in the middle, it probably wasn't necessary, but it gave me a center reference point while building it. Good luck!
AI used to make them for Christmas dinner dessert when I was a kid. I was surprised to see them cheating by stacking them around a form on the show, I never did that.
AMy advice to you is to make sure you or someone else can helo you observe it from far away and all angles so you don't have a leaning tower of choux.
Whenever I've made one for work we assemble it and the deliver right away.
And dont use touch sugar to g lue cause then you won't be able to get any out. We did that once for a party and they calked us in the middle we had to fill 100 right then and take to the party to serve instead.
My advice to you is to make sure you or someone else can helo you observe it from far away and all angles so you don't have a leaning tower of choux.
Whenever I've made one for work we assemble it and the deliver right away.
And dont use touch sugar to g lue cause then you won't be able to get any out. We did that once for a party and they calked us in the middle we had to fill 100 right then and take to the party to serve instead.
Easiest way to get the perfect shape is to build it in a cone, you can make your own from paper very easily.
AFunny, because the two people who didn't use forms ended up being the ones kicked off. I had never seen one before, glad to hear from experts( you guys, obviously) how it's really done. The show totally portrayed it as though not using a form was ridiculous. Granted, the people who lost did not have anything resembling a tower. They were more like sad piles.
AI think that you can use a paper cone as a guide but it's removed before serving. I just stack mine on each other! There is no sticking them into a foil covered cone with cocktail sticks!
AThis looks like a very useful page for croquembouche info
I have made many. I don't offer them anymore. They are not worth the stress factor to me, and I have professional health issues with them being left out for hours before being consumed - which is NOT what is intended in the French tradition.
If you are making one for a paying customer, make sure you are licenced to prepare and use perishable fillings, such as the crème patissiere required for the filling of each choux bun.
Aside from the buns (which should be uniform size and round in shape) which can be made and frozen, and the crème patissiere which can be made the night before and refrigerated, everything needs to be done ON THE DAY.
For me, this meant beginning work at 8.00am for a delivery at 3.30pm. Solid work from start to finish, starting with a spotlessly clean kitchen then making and monitoring caramelising sugar, filling, dipping, stacking, spinning sugar, decorating etc. I can't take any other orders that are due on the same day because once I start I do not stop. And also - the price I charged was also taking into account other business services I could not offer for the same weekend.
Yes, you do not need a former/cone, but if you want to drive it to a reception location, it is reassuring to have one in there.
These have become incredibly popular down under in recent years due to shows like MasterChef, but very few people know the limitations - ie, choux buns going soggy and filling spoiling if left too long in a tepid/warm room, as is the style of most wedding here. Yes, they look spectacular, but the only people I'd make a croq for now are my children's parties, and only with strict guidelines. If I'm a guest at the party, I ain't doing one!
If you live in a humid or warm climate, any toffee/caramel is going to start weeping as soon as you finish it, so you also need to make and transport and set up in a dry, cool (airconditioned) environment. Still, you always get the spun sugar disintegrating before your very eyes.
I hope this helps.
Thanks for the help. I will let you know how it goes.
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%