Cream Puff Recipe (Chocolate Profiteroles)

  • Preparation 3 h
  • Cooking 25 min
  • Servings 12
  • Freezing Absolutely

Ads

Choux pastry

  • 100 g unsalted butter
  • 1 cup (250 ml) water
  • 125 g all-purpose flour
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 4 large eggs (55 to 60 g each), at room temperature

Pastry cream

  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 30 g cornstarch
  • 2 cups (500 ml) milk
  • 105 g granulated sugar
  • 14 g unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch of salt

Chocolate sauce

  • 250 g semi-sweet chocolate, or chocolate chips
  • 1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream

Ads

Preparation

  • Lightly wet two large baking sheets with a little water, spread it with your hand, then lay the parchment paper on top. It sticks on its own and will not shift while you pipe.
  • Preheat the oven to 425 °F (220 °C).
  • In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. When it is almost melted, add the water and bring to a hard boil.
  • Add the flour and salt all at once, without taking the pan off the heat, and stir hard with a wooden spoon until the dough forms a ball that pulls away from the sides, about 1 minute.
  • Take off the heat and let cool 10 minutes.
  • Transfer the dough to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle and beat 30 seconds, to finish knocking the heat out of it.
  • Add one egg and beat until fully incorporated. Repeat with the other three, one at a time. The dough should be thick and glossy.
  • Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a 13 to 15 mm (1/2 to 3/5 inch) round tip.
  • Pipe 2 tsp (10 ml) mounds, spaced 2 inches (5 cm) apart, about 20 per pan.
  • Wet your finger and flatten the peaks into smooth round balls.
  • Bake both pans together 15 minutes, swapping them halfway through. The puffs should be deep golden on top, not just risen.
  • Take them out and pierce each puff on the side with the tip of a knife.
  • Return to the oven 5 to 7 minutes, until golden and crisp.
  • Transfer to a rack and let cool completely before filling.
  • Make the pastry cream. In a large heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks and cornstarch with a fork until thick and smooth. If it stays dry, add a few drops of milk to bring it together.
  • In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk the milk and sugar until the sugar dissolves, then bring to a gentle simmer. Take off the heat.
  • Slowly pour the hot milk over the yolks, whisking constantly so they do not cook, then return everything to the saucepan.
  • Back over medium heat, whisk constantly. The mixture will foam, then thicken with big bubbles breaking at the surface. As soon as it boils hard like that, count 20 seconds and take it off the heat.
  • Whisk in the butter, vanilla extract and salt. Let cool 10 minutes, then pass through a sieve.
  • Transfer to a bowl and lay plastic wrap directly on the surface to keep a skin from forming. Refrigerate at least 3 hours.
  • Whisk the cream to loosen it, transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small tip and fill the puffs through the hole you pierced during baking.
  • Make the sauce. Put the cream and chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Microwave 4 times for 30 seconds, stirring between each, until smooth.
  • Let cool slightly, pour over the profiteroles and serve.