Eggnog croquembouche

Start by making the choux pastry. Preheat the oven to 190°C fan and line three large baking trays with baking paper

Warm the milk, water, butter and sugar until just boiling

Add the flour all at once and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until the dough forms a smooth ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan

Transfer to a stand mixer and beat for 2–3 minutes until slightly cooled

Beat in the eggs one at a time and keep beating until the mixture is smooth, glossy and forms a soft peak when lifted

Spoon or pipe small, even rounds (about 3-4cm wide) onto the trays, spacing a few centimetres apart to allow for expansion

Bake for 22–25 minutes, rotating the trays halfway, until puffed and deep golden

Pierce each bun with a skewer to release steam, then cool on wire racks

Next, make the eggnog cream. Heat the milk with nutmeg and cinnamon until just below boiling point

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour until pale

Gradually pour the hot milk into the yolk mixture, whisking continuously

Return to the pan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until thickened and smooth, about 5 minutes

Remove from the heat and stir in the rum or brandy

Transfer to a bowl, press cling film onto the surface, and leave to cool completely

Once cooled, whip the double cream to very soft peaks and fold through the custard for a rich, spoonable filling

Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small round nozzle, then pipe the crème into each cooled profiterole

Lightly oil your cone or croquembouche stand

Next, make the caramel. Heat the sugar and water over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed, high-sided saucepan. Don’t stir, as this can cause the caramel to crystallise, and instead swirl the pan if needed. Cook until the caramel is amber, about 170°C

Remove from the heat immediately – the caramel will continue to darken slightly

Working quickly and carefully, use tongs to dip the tops of the filled profiteroles into the hot caramel

Using the caramel as ‘glue’, stick each choux to the cone, working from the base upwards in concentric rings. If the caramel starts hardening, put it back over a low heat

Continue layering the profiteroles in tight circles, building the tower upwards. The caramel will set quickly, holding the structure firm

Once assembled, you can dip a whisk into the remaining caramel and (carefully!) flick threads over the croquembouche to create a nest of spun sugar. Finish by decorating with gold leaf and edible glitter – it is Christmas, after all