Croquembouche

A true show-stopping centerpiece, croquembouche consists of choux pastry profiteroles which are filled with custard cream and assembled into a cone-shaped tower, glued together with caramel. The final dessert is elaborately decorated with spun sugar, sugar-coated almonds, fondant flowers, fruit, or even macarons. Croquembouche was designed and popularized in the late 1700s by chef Antonin Carême, while its name is derived from the expression croque-en-bouche, which literally translates to crunch in the mouth, referring to the crunchy and caramelized bits and pieces. Because of its elegant, festive presentation, this majestic dessert is often served at French weddings and christenings instead of a classic cake, though it is also traditionally prepared for other large celebrations. Croquembouche is usually placed at the center of a table, and the attendees are encouraged to help themselves with individual profiteroles.