To get started, set up a work station with newspaper on the floor, greased wax paper on the counter, and the plate you want to display your masterpiece on.  You will also need a hot pad, a spoon, and 2 forks or a sugar spinning tool (a whisk with the end cut off), to make those thin strands of caramelized sugar around the outside of your dessert.

To make the caramel, measure the water and corn syrup into a small-medium sized heavy bottomed saucepan. Add the sugar, and cook on medium heat for 10-15 minutes, or until the mixture is golden brown (it will begin to have yellowy-caramel coloured bubbles on the surface). DO NOT STIR.

As the mixture boils, use a pastry brush dipped in water, to brush down the sides of the pan periodically to remove bits of sugar stuck to the sides. (Alternatively, you can just put a lid on top of the pan for a moment, till the steam dissolves the sugar.)

Warning: This is HOT! Be very careful. 

Immediately remove the caramel from heat, and set to work! (You need to work quickly; this caramel will begin to set as it cools). Using a spoon, drizzle a small ring of caramel on the base of the plate you’re using.  Set about 5 profiteroles around the caramel, to stick to the plate.

Note: Why not dip the profiteroles?

You can dip the profiteroles, but to keep from burning your fingertips, I’m going to recommend using a spoon. I have also found that if you dip them, the caramel may crystalize, and you will need to make a fresh batch.

Drizzle the tops of the first 5 profiteroles with more caramel, and stack more on top (I did 4 for the second layer, 3 for each of the next 2 layers, and 1 for the top). When they are all stacked together, you can spoon a little more caramel over the whole thing, to drip down the sides if you want (optional).

Dip the tips of two forks held back to back (or sugar spinner) into the hot caramel. Lift your sugar spinning tool out, and and dip it back in a couple of times until there are little bits of sugar stuck to the ends and just barely starting to stream down back into the pot.

On the greased sheet of waxed paper, over a Silpat (silicone mat), or on the croquembouche itself (which is what I did), drag the spinning utensil out of the pot and flick it back and forth (waving it around) across the surface you’re spinning on, re-dipping it in the sugar as needed to create strands of spun sugar. 

If you are doing this over a non stick surface, flick it back and forth a few times to create long, whispy strands of sugar, and then pick them up and wrap them around the croquembouche while they’re still warm.

Do this as many times as you want, until you get that kind of “Bird’s nest” effect, and you think it looks good.

Serve within a few hours of assembly. Keep cool* until serving.