May 2010 Daring Baker's Challenge: Piece Montee (Croquembouche)

The May 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Cat of Little Miss Cupcake. Cat challenged everyone to make a piece montée, or croquembouche, based on recipes from Peter Kump’s Baking School in Manhattan and Nick Malgieri.

I've always been fascinated by the piece montee/croquembouche, but I must admit I never planned on making one myself.  I'm not a huge fan of pate a choux, but I do ADORE pastry cream, so it all evened out.  The actual baking in this challenge as fairly easy, though I believe my pate a choux was a bit too wet and I was very concerned it would not rise (it did.. mostly), but the assembly? GOOD LORD was it touch and go for a minute.  The process generally involved dipping a delicate cream filled puff into hot liquid sugar then flipping it over and placing it on the arrangement as quickly as possible.  Did I burn my finger? Yes.  Did I almost put said finger, with the burning sugar still on it, in my mouth? Yes.  At the last moment, I realized what I was doing.  I can just imagine that phone call to hubby telling him to come home from work as I've disabled myself.  .... BACK to the challenge.  All in all, I'm not in love with this, but I would definitely use this recipe if trying to impress someone.  I know scores of people who love pate a choux based delights; I'm just not one of them.  It's really sad.  I need to get over it.