Profiteroles
Delightful little French cream puffs, filled with fresh whipped cream and drizzled with warm chocolate ganache. With their crispy shell giving way to a luscious, creamy centre, these bite-sized treats are the perfect indulgence for any occasion!
Ingredients
For the choux pastry
- 125 ml whole milk
- 125 ml water
- 100 gr unsalted butter
- 1 tbs sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 140 gr plain flour sifted
- 4 egg at room temperature
For the homemade whipped cream filling
- 300 ml Double cream chilled
- 30 gr icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the chocolate ganache
- 200 gr dark chocolate 65% cacao, chopped
- 200 ml Double cream
Equipment
- 2 saucepan
- 2 mixing bowl one large, chilled if possible, for whipping cream
- 1 piping nozzle plain 8 or 10cm
Instructions
1. Make the choux pastry
- Put the water, milk, butter, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the butter melts and the mixture comes to a boil. Remove from the heat, add all the flour at once, and beat vigorously with a heat-resistant spatula until the dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides. Return to medium heat and keep beating for 2–3 minutes to dry the dough out.
2. Cool slightly and add eggs
- Transfer the dough to a bowl or mixer and let it cool for about 10 minutes, until it stops steaming. Beat the eggs together, then add them a little at a time, beating well after each addition, until the dough is smooth and glossy and falls from the spoon in a thick ribbon. You may not need all the egg.
3. Pipe and bake
- Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan). Pipe mounds about 3–4cm across onto the lined tray, spacing them well apart. Smooth any peaks with a wet finger. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce to 165°C (145°C fan) and bake for another 20–25 minutes, until deep golden and well puffed. Don't open the oven during baking.
4. Cool
- Remove from the oven and pierce each puff with a skewer to let the steam escape. Cool completely on a wire rack.
5. Whip the cream
- Pour the chilled cream into a large cold bowl with the icing sugar and vanilla. Whisk with an electric mixer until soft peaks form: light and fluffy, holding its shape but still smooth. Don't overwhisk or you'll have butter.
6. Make the ganache
- Heat the cream gently until just boiling, then pour over the chopped chocolate. Leave for 2–3 minutes, then whisk until smooth and glossy.
7. Assemble
- Slice each bun in half horizontally. Spoon or pipe a generous dollop of whipped cream into the base and replace the top. Drizzle generously with warm ganache just before serving.
Notes
- For the best profiteroles, drying the dough well on the stove before adding eggs is crucial as it ensures a light, hollow puff that won’t collapse.
- When piping, keep the sizes even so they bake consistently. Avoid opening the oven door during baking to prevent sudden temperature drops that can deflate the puffs.
- Using chilled cream straight from the fridge helps the whipped cream hold its shape longer.
- Assemble the profiteroles just before serving to keep the pastry crisp and the cream fresh.
- If you want to prepare ahead, bake the choux shells in advance and freeze them; reheat briefly in the oven before filling and serving.