Homemade Chocolate Profiteroles

Ingredients

• For the choux pastry: For the choux pastry:
• 1 cup (240ml) water 1 cup (240ml) water
• 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs 4 large eggs
• For the vanilla custard filling: For the vanilla custard filling:
• 2 cups (480ml) whole milk 2 cups (480ml) whole milk
• 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (30g) cornstarch 1/4 cup (30g) cornstarch
• 4 large egg yolks 4 large egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• For the chocolate sauce: For the chocolate sauce:
• 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
• 8 ounces (225g) semisweet chocolate, chopped 8 ounces (225g) semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Nutrition

• Calories (kcal / KJ): 250 kcal / 1046 KJ
• Fat (total, saturated): 15g, 9g
• Carbohydrates (total, sugars): 25g, 15g
• Protein: 5g
• Fiber: 1g
• Salt: 0.2g

Preparation

1. 1.
   Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. 2.
   In a saucepan, combine water, butter, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
3. 3.
   Reduce the heat to low and add the flour all at once. Stir vigorously until the mixture forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
4. 4.
   Remove the pan from heat and let it cool for a minute. Then, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until the dough is smooth and glossy.
5. 5.
   Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe small mounds onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each puff.
6. 6.
   Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the puffs are golden brown and crisp. Remove from the oven and let them cool completely.
7. 7.
   In a saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat until it starts to simmer. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and egg yolks until well combined.
8. 8.
   Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens.
9. 9.
   Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Transfer the custard to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until chilled.
10. 10.
    For the chocolate sauce, heat the heavy cream in a saucepan until it begins to simmer. Remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate and butter. Stir until smooth and glossy.
11. 11.
    To assemble, slice the cooled pastry puffs in half horizontally. Fill each puff with a spoonful of vanilla custard. Drizzle with the chocolate sauce and serve immediately.

Treat your ingredients with care...

• Choux pastry — Make sure to beat the eggs into the dough one at a time until smooth and glossy. This will ensure the pastry puffs rise properly and have a light texture.
• Vanilla custard — When cooking the custard, stir constantly to prevent lumps from forming. It's important to refrigerate the custard until chilled before filling the pastry puffs to achieve the right consistency.
• Chocolate sauce — Use high-quality chocolate for the sauce to achieve a rich and smooth texture. Stir the sauce continuously while melting the chocolate to prevent it from burning.

Tips & Tricks

• To ensure crisp pastry puffs, avoid opening the oven door while they are baking.
• If you prefer a stronger vanilla flavor, you can scrape the seeds from a vanilla bean and add them to the custard.
• For a twist, you can add a sprinkle of powdered sugar or a drizzle of caramel sauce on top of the filled profiteroles.
• If you don't have a piping bag, you can use a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off to pipe the choux pastry.
• Leftover profiteroles can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Serving advice

Serve the Homemade Chocolate Profiteroles as a delightful dessert after a French-inspired meal. Dust them with powdered sugar and garnish with fresh berries for an elegant presentation.

Presentation advice

Arrange the filled profiteroles on a serving platter and drizzle the chocolate sauce over them. You can also dust them with cocoa powder for an extra touch of elegance.