Profiteroles au Chocolat

Name: Profiteroles au Chocolat
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Yield: 10 to 12 servings
Cuisine: French Menu
Ingredients: Water — 240 ml; Sugar — 1½ tsp; Salt — ½ tsp; Unsalted Butter — 113 g; All-purpose Flour — 140 g; Eggs — 3 to 4; Semi-sweet Chocolate — 115 g; Heavy Cream — 120 ml; Ice Cream — As desired

These classic French profiteroles are delicate, golden choux pastry puffs filled with velvety ice cream and crowned with a luxurious, silky chocolate ganache. This stunning, crowd-pleasing dessert offers a perfect interplay of textures, combining the crisp, airy pastry with the cool, creamy interior and the rich warmth of the chocolate, making it an irresistible treat that is deceptively simple to prepare at home.

Cuisines

Cooking Instructions

Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: 25 minutes

Servings: 10 to 12

Notes:

Using room-temperature butter ensures the water mixture reaches a rolling boil quickly, which is vital for the choux pastry structure; once the water boils, remove it immediately from the heat before adding the flour to prevent it from evaporating too much.

The secret to the perfect choux consistency is the egg addition; add eggs one at a time, and always keep an extra egg handy, as the amount needed can vary depending on the size of the eggs and moisture levels. A perfect batter should be smooth, silky, and slowly drop from the paddle in a 'V' shape.

Drying the dough properly is crucial; after stirring in the flour, cook the mixture for another 30 seconds to dehydrate it, which allows the pastry to puff up dramatically in the oven.

After the initial 20 minutes of baking, poking a small hole in each puff allows steam to escape; returning them to a cooler oven for an additional few minutes ensures they dry out completely, resulting in a firm, crispy shell that will not soften later.

The chocolate ganache will naturally thicken as it cools; if you need a specific consistency, allow it to sit for a few minutes or briefly reheat it if it becomes too firm before drizzling it over your filled profiteroles.

Make Dough
Boil the water, sugar, salt, and butter in a pot, remove from the heat, and vigorously stir in the flour until it forms a smooth ball that pulls away from the sides.

Cook Dough
Return the pot to the heat and cook the dough for another 30 seconds while stirring constantly, then transfer to a mixer and allow to cool slightly.

Add Eggs
Gradually add the eggs one by one, mixing until the batter is smooth, silky, and slowly drops from the paddle in a thick, cohesive ribbon.

Pipe and Bake
Pipe small, round mounds onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, flatten any spikes with a wet finger, and bake at 220°C for 20 minutes until puffed and golden.

Dry
Poke a small hole in the top of each puff and return to the oven at 150°C for 4 minutes to dry out, ensuring they remain crispy.

Fill and Assemble
Allow the puffs to cool, slice them in half, fill with a generous scoop of ice cream, and drizzle with a freshly prepared chocolate ganache before serving.