This whimsical tower of choux puffs crowned with spun sugar is the French equivalent of a wedding cake. It is also an excellent dessert to serve at any gathering where you want to make an impression.

Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Prepare:

Scoop the paste into a piping bag fitted with a ½-inch plain tip and pipe the dough into ½-inch mounds on the baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between them. Use a lightly dampened finger to smooth the tops of the puffs. Bake until browned, about 25 minutes, switching racks and rotating the sheets front to back halfway through. Transfer to a wire rack, poke a small hole in the bottom of each puff with a skewer or the tip of a knife, and let cool completely. At this point the puffs may be frozen for up to 1 month.

Prepare:

Let cool completely and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Transfer the pastry cream to a piping bag fitted with a ¼-inch plain tip. Poke the tip into the holes made by the paring knife or skewer and fill with the cream.

Have a serving platter ready. Fill the sink or a large bowl with cold water. Prepare:

When the syrup reaches a dark amber color remove from the heat and dip the bottom of the pan into the cold water bath to stop the cooking. Working quickly, dip the bottom of each puff in the sugar syrup and affix it to the serving plate in an 8-inch circle. Continue, building up the tower of puffs into a conical shape by gradually making the ring of puffs smaller and smaller as the cone gets taller. If the syrup starts to harden too much to work with, gently warm it until liquid and proceed until you have made a tall cone of puffs.

To finish the croquembouche, dip 2 forks into the sugar syrup, and wave them over the tower of puffs. The syrup will fall onto the puffs in long strands, creating a spun sugar halo. Continue until all the syrup is used. Serve within 2 hours.