Profiteroles with vanilla pastry cream and chocolate sauce
Profiteroles are one of those classic desserts that always make a great impression at the table! Light and golden choux pastries, a smooth vanilla pastry cream, and a still-warm chocolate sauce poured over them at the last minute… it's hard to resist.
- 5 cl of milk (skimmed or semi-skimmed)
- 7 cl of water
- 1 small teaspoon of salt (2 g)
- 2 small tablespoons of sugar (5 g)
- 2 eggs
- 75 g of flour
- 45g of butter
- 1/2 liter of milk (skimmed or semi-skimmed)
- 4 egg yolks
- 90 g de sucre
- 40g of cornflour (or failing that, flour or potato starch)
- Vanilla extract and/or vanilla bean
- 150g of dark baking chocolate, chopped
- 150g of liquid cream
- Preheat the oven to 180°C. In a saucepan, heat the water, milk, butter, salt and sugar until the butter is completely melted and the mixture comes to a boil.
- Remove from heat, add the flour all at once, and mix vigorously. Return the pan to medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly: the dough should form a ball and leave a thin film on the bottom of the pan. This is the important drying stage.
- Remove from the heat and let cool for 2 to 3 minutes. Lightly beat the eggs, then gradually incorporate them, mixing well between each addition. The batter should be smooth, glossy, and form a thick ribbon when it falls from the spatula. Sometimes you won't need all the beaten eggs; a little will remain. The most important thing is that the choux pastry is not runny.
- Place the dough in a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle and pipe small choux buns, 2 to 3 cm in diameter, onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them well apart. Bake for approximately 25 to 30 minutes at 180°C (350°F), until well risen and golden brown. Do not open the oven door during baking. Let them cool on a wire rack. I personally prick them with a toothpick to release the steam.
- Prepare the pastry cream: heat the milk with the vanilla. Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar, then add the cornstarch. Gradually pour the hot milk over the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, until thickened. Let it boil for about 1 minute, then pour into a dish, cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface, and let it cool completely.
- Quickly whisk the cold pastry cream to loosen it, then place it in a piping bag. Make a small hole in the bottom of each cream puff and fill them generously.
- For the chocolate sauce, heat the cream until it just begins to simmer. Pour it over the chopped dark chocolate, wait 1 minute, then gently stir until you have a perfectly smooth and glossy sauce.
- Arrange the profiteroles on plates and coat them with the still-warm chocolate sauce just before serving.
Profiteroles are one of those classic desserts that always make a great impression at the table! Light and golden choux pastries, a smooth vanilla pastry cream, and a still-warm chocolate sauce poured over them at the last minute… it's hard to resist. Here's a completely homemade version, easy to prepare and perfect for a festive dessert or a family meal. You can fill the choux pastries with vanilla pastry cream, as in this recipe, or stick to the more traditional version with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Choux pastry can sometimes seem intimidating, but with a few good tips, it's much simpler than it looks.