Chocolate Profiteroles

This easy profiteroles recipe is the ideal way to finish a dinner party, or to make small desserts to give to friends and family. These profiteroles are filled with a gorgeous vanilla pastry cream and covered in chocolate glaze, making these delicate little puffs a pure treat.

Simple rules for choux pastry:

Number 1 - stick to the ingredients and measurements

Number 2 - don’t open the oven while it bakes

Trick

Bake the pastries on parchment paper. But before you pipe the dough onto the parchment paper, moisten it with water.

Ingredients

For the pastry

1/2 cup (or 8 tbsp) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup 2% or whole milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)

4 large eggs, beaten

1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp milk or water

For the filling

1 cup cold heavy cream or heavy whipping cream

2 tbsp confectioners’ sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the topping

1 cup plus heavy cream

12 oz dark chocolate

Directions

Step 1.

Make the pastry dough: combine the butter, water, milk, salt, and granulated sugar together in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the butter has melted. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce heat to low and add the flour all at once.

Step 2

Stir until the flour is completely incorporated and a thick dough clumps into a ball. Mash the dough ball against the bottom and sides of the pan for 1 minute, which gently cooks the flour.

Step 3

Remove from heat and transfer to large mixing bowl. Allow to cool down for a few minutes before adding the eggs in the next step.

Step 4

With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the eggs in 3-4 separate additions mixing for 30 seconds between each. The mixture will look curdled at first, but will begin to come together as the mixer runs. Pour in the final addition of beaten eggs very slowly. Stop adding when the pastry has reached the desired texture: shiny, thick, and smooth with a pipeable consistency.

Step 5

Preheat oven to 400 °F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Lightly brush the parchment with water, which creates a humid environment for the pastry shells allowing them to puff up without drying out or burning.

Step 6

Transfer the pastry dough to a piping bag. Pipe 2-inch mounds about 3 inches apart.

Step 7

Bake for 20 minutes then, keeping the pastries in the oven, reduce the temperature to 350 °F and continue to bake for 10-15 more minutes until golden brown. Do not open the oven as the pastries cook, as cool air will prevent them from properly puffing up.

Step 8

Split open pastries and fill with vanilla whipped cream.

How to make the cream? Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, about 3-4 minutes. Medium peaks are between soft/loose peaks and stiff peaks and are the perfect consistency for topping and piping on desserts.

Step 9

For the chocolate sauce, simply melt 1 cup of the heavy cream and 12 oz of dark chocolate together in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk the mixture together until it is thick and smooth. Allow to cool for 3 minutes before pouring over pastries.

Bon Appetit!