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Deliciously Rich French Profiteroles filled with creamy custard and topped with chocolate sauce.

Profiteroles

Crisp pastry puffs filled with creamy filling and drizzled with warm chocolate sauce, perfect for impressing guests or treating yourself after a long day.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French
Calories: 150

Ingredients
  

Choux Pastry
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
  • 1 tbsp sugar (optional but nice)
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 4 large eggs
Chocolate Sauce
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 6 oz chocolate (semi sweet or dark), chopped
  • 1 pinch salt

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium saucepan, add water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt. Heat until the butter is melted and the mixture just starts to simmer.
  3. Turn the heat to low. Dump in the flour all at once. Stir fast with a wooden spoon until it forms a dough ball and looks smooth. Keep stirring for about 1 to 2 minutes to dry it out a bit. You’ll see a thin film on the bottom of the pan. That’s a good sign.
  4. Move the dough to a mixing bowl. Let it cool for a couple minutes so it’s not scorching hot. Then add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. You want a thick dough that slowly falls from the spoon in a smooth ribbon.
  5. Scoop or pipe small mounds (about 1 to 1 1/2 inches wide) onto the baking sheet. Leave space because they puff.
Baking
  1. Bake at 425°F for 10 minutes, then reduce to 375°F (190°C) and bake another 15 to 20 minutes until deep golden and puffed. Do not open the oven door early.
  2. Turn off the oven, crack the door open a little, and let them sit inside for 10 minutes. This helps them dry out and stay crisp.
  3. Cool completely before filling.
Making Chocolate Sauce
  1. Heat the cream and butter until hot but not boiling. Pour over chopped chocolate in a bowl. Let it sit 1 minute, then stir until glossy. Add a pinch of salt. Done.

Notes

For sweet fillings, consider vanilla pastry cream, lightly sweetened whipped cream, ice cream, chocolate mousse, or sweetened mascarpone with lemon zest. For savory options, try herbed cream cheese and smoked salmon or chicken salad with tarragon. Unfilled shells can be stored at room temperature for a day, and for longer storage, freeze them. Filled profiteroles are best eaten the same day.