Grand, spectacular, imposing: Croquembouche is one of the finest and most iconic desserts of the French confectionery tradition.<\/p>\n
Monsieur Croquembouche, who we would call Mr Crunchy In Bocca, in fact, is a true institution of French cuisine: a complex dessert to be made, magnificent to look at and which is usually reserved for particularly important occasions such as Christmas celebrations or weddings.<\/p>\n
The Art de la Cuisine Fran\u00e7aise established the principles of French haute cuisine in 5 volumes published in the 1830s and its brilliant author, Marie Antoine Car\u00eame is none other than the inventor of Croquembouche.<\/p>\n
No wonder that such a refined dessert has a father so famous and appreciated even by the most powerful men in the world.<\/p>\n
In fact, Car\u00eame brought his passion for grandeur in the kitchen to the tables of princes, emperors and sovereigns such as Talleyrand, Tsar Alexander I and even George IV of England.<\/p>\n
The story of Marie Antoine and her Croquembouche has little to do with those culinary tales in which mistakes, oversights and randomness are mixed: it is the narration of legendary meticulousness.<\/p>\n
Croquembouche is ‘simply’ a pyramid of puffs filled with custard, Chantilly or whipped cream wrapped and supported by strands of exquisite crunchy caramel.<\/p>\n
The preparation is undoubtedly complex and articulated: first you need to prepare the choux pastry and bake the puffs, which will then be stuffed and dipped in caramel.<\/p>\n
To position them with the necessary precision, cone molds or folded cards are usually used, in order to obtain the perfect shape.<\/p>\n
Finally, only the hands of a true artist will be able to shape very thin strands of caramel to wrap the monument of pastries and create a beautiful nest of goodness.<\/p>\n
The majesty of the aesthetic impact is, in fact, an integral part of the Croquembouche, so much so that Monsieur Car\u00eame even needed one meter high!<\/p>\n
If you are fond of caramel but not exactly a starred chef, there is no need to despair.<\/p>\n
We at RivaReno have created a fresh ice cream of the day that combines the creamy consistency of salted caramel with the crunchy texture of hazelnuts in a truly unique delight.<\/p>\n