Profiteroles

Profiteroles – crisp choux pastry puffs filled with whipped cream or custard and topped with a rich chocolate sauce. They look fancy but are surprisingly doable at home!

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🍫 Profiteroles (Cream Puffs with Chocolate Sauce)

🍽️ Makes: 15–20 profiteroles

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🛒 Ingredients:

For the Choux Pastry:

• 75g (⅓ cup) unsalted butter

• 200ml (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) water

• Pinch of salt

• 100g (¾ cup) plain flour (all-purpose)

• 3 large eggs (lightly beaten)

For the Filling:

• 300ml (1¼ cups) double cream (heavy cream)

• 1–2 tbsp icing sugar (optional)

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Optional: Use thick pastry cream or ice cream instead of whipped cream.

For the Chocolate Sauce:

• 100g (3.5 oz) dark chocolate (about 70% cocoa), chopped

• 100ml (⅓–½ cup) double cream

• 1 tbsp golden syrup or sugar (optional for gloss)

• 1 tsp butter (optional, for smoothness)

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👨‍🍳 Method:

1. Make the Choux Pastry:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan) / 400°F. Line a baking tray with parchment.

2. In a saucepan, combine butter, water, and a pinch of salt. Heat until butter melts and mixture just boils.

3. Take off heat. Add all the flour at once, beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until it forms a smooth ball and leaves the sides of the pan.

4. Cool for 5 minutes, then gradually beat in the eggs a little at a time until the dough is smooth, glossy, and just drops off the spoon. You might not need all the egg.

5. Spoon or pipe small balls (walnut-sized) onto the tray, spaced apart.

6. Bake for 20–25 minutes until puffed up and golden.

7. Turn off oven, poke a small hole in the bottom of each puff to let out steam, then return to oven for 5 minutes with the door ajar to dry them out.

8. Cool on a wire rack.

2. Make the Filling:

• Whip cream, icing sugar, and vanilla to soft peaks.

• Once the puffs are cool, slice them open or use a piping bag with a nozzle to fill with cream.

3. Make the Chocolate Sauce:

1. Gently heat cream until just simmering.

2. Pour over chopped chocolate (add syrup/butter if using), let sit 1 minute, then stir until smooth.

4. Assemble:

• Pile profiteroles into a pyramid or lay them out on a plate.

• Drizzle generously with warm chocolate sauce just before serving.

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🍽️ Serving Tips:

• Serve immediately after assembling so the pastry stays crisp.

• Can be made ahead: store empty puffs in an airtight container, fill and top just before serving.