Buckwheat Choux TOWER With Yuzu Curd And Chili Spun Sugar

Combine butter, whole milk, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a rolling boil, then immediately remove from heat.

Add buckwheat and all-purpose flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the dough pulls away from the pan and forms a ball, about 2 minutes. Return to low heat and dry the dough for 1 minute more.

Transfer dough to a stand mixer. Beat in eggs one at a time on medium speed, ensuring each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. Stop when the dough is smooth, glossy, and hangs in a thick ribbon.

Preheat oven to 200C. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Transfer choux dough to a piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm round tip.

Pipe 12 equal mounds (about 50g each) onto the prepared sheets, spacing 5cm apart. Smooth tops with wet fingers. Bake at 200C for 10 minutes, then reduce to 180C and bake 18-20 minutes until deeply golden and hollow when tapped. Cool completely on wire racks.

Zest all 4 limes into a fine mesh strainer set over a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Juice 3 limes and add juice to the pan. Reserve the remaining lime for serving.

Whisk eggs and white sugar into the lime juice. Place over medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly with a silicone spatula, until the mixture thickens to a custard that coats the back of a spoon, about 12 minutes.

Remove from heat and strain through the fine mesh to remove zest and any cooked egg bits. Stir in butter piece by piece until glossy and smooth.

Transfer to a bowl, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface, and refrigerate until cold and firm, about 2 hours. Reserve remaining lime for garnish.

Combine white sugar, cayenne, and white vinegar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves, then stop stirring and wash down any sugar crystals from the sides with a wet pastry brush.

Cook syrup until it reaches 150C on a digital probe thermometer (or until a small drop in cold water forms a pliable, amber-colored thread). Remove from heat immediately.

Add butter and stir until fully emulsified. Let cool at room temperature until the syrup reaches a honey-like consistency and can be drawn into threads, about 5-7 minutes.

Working quickly, dip a fork into the syrup and rapidly flick back and forth over an inverted baking sheet, creating chaotic threads of chili sugar. Alternatively, drizzle in thin streams and let gravity create the web effect. Work in small batches to keep syrup workable.

Slice cooled choux shells horizontally. Pipe or spoon a generous mound of lime curd onto each bottom half.

Stack choux shells into a dramatic tower formation on a serving plate, alternating directions slightly for instability and visual interest. Aim for 5-6 layers.

Crown the tower with the remaining choux shell upside-down for a classic croquembouche peak.

Finish by draping chili spun sugar threads dramatically over and around the tower. Grate a whisper of zest from the reserved lime over the top.