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!

Prep20

Cook35

Total55

Servings

DifficultyAdvanced

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
1 heat-resistant spatula
baking mat
2 mixing bowl one large, chilled if possible, for whipping cream
1 electric mixer
1 cooling rack
1 piping bag
1 piping nozzle plain 8 or 10cm

Instructions

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.

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.

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.

Cool

Remove from the oven and pierce each puff with a skewer to let the steam escape. Cool completely on a wire rack.

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.

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.

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.

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