Prepare the chocolate cream puff shells first. Preheat the oven to 425F and line a large baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Prepare a pastry bag with a star tip; I used a French star tip #8FT.

In a medium saucepan, combine the water, butter and salt. Bring the mixture up to a simmer over medium heat, allowing the butter to melt completely. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until dissolved, then add the flour. Mix in the flour and cook for about 1 minute, until a dough ball forms and pulls away from the sides of the saucepan. Remove the dough from heat and allow it to cool for 15 to 20 minutes, until it’s lukewarm.

Begin adding the eggs once the dough is cooled. Add one egg at a time and use a hand mixer or whisk the batter well after each addition. Once the dough is ready, transfer it into the prepared pastry bag. Pipe medium-sized rings onto the prepared baking sheet, piping to layers of dough for each puff pastry. Bake the pastries at 425F for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350F and bake for an additional 40 minutes. Do not open the oven door during the baking process! Once the pastries are done baking, allow them to cool on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, prepare the caramel French buttercream. Place the egg yolks in a stand mixer bowl and whisk for a few minutes until the yolks are pale. In a small saucepan, combine the water and sugar. Heat the sugar over medium-high heat until the syrup reaches 238F, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Keeping the mixer running on medium speed, pour the sugar syrup in a steady stream into the egg yolks. Once all the syrup has been added, turn the mixer up to high speed and whisk until the mixture is thick, pale and has cooled down, about 8 minutes. Once the mixture has cooled, begin adding the butter a few tablespoons at a time. Make sure the butter is well incorporated after each addition and scrap down the sides of the mixing bowl often. Once all the butter is added, add the caramel sauce and almond extract. Whisk for a few more minutes, then transfer the buttercream into a pastry bag tipped with a star tip; I used tip #4FT.

To assemble the cream puffs, use a sharp serrated knife to split each pastry in half. Pipe the bottom half with a generous amount of cream, then drizzle with caramel sauce, sprinkle with crushed Almond Roca and sliced almonds. Pipe the top half full of cream and sandwich the pastries together. If desired, add more cream on top and garnish with more caramel, candy and gold leaf.

If not enjoying right away, keep the pastries refrigerated. Take them out of the fridge about 30 minutes before enjoying to allow the buttercream to soften.