Recipe Index

Ingredients

• 7 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup flour (, plain / all purpose)
• 4 large eggs (2-2 oz / 2 oz each (weight with shell), at room temperature)
• Pinch of salt
• Vanilla custard (Creme Patissiere) ((below))
• Ice cream
• Whipped cream
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup white sugar (, caster / superfine)
• 3 1/2 tbsp cornflour / cornstarch
• 2 1/3 cups milk (, full fat best)
• 1/4 cup extra white sugar (, caster / superfine)
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste ((or extract or essence))
• 8 oz dark chocolate ((or US semi-sweet))
• 1 cup cream

Method

1. Make the vanilla custard first by whisking the egg yolks with the quarter cup of white sugar and the cornflour in a bowl until smooth.
2. Heat the milk with the extra white sugar and vanilla bean paste in a saucepan until just below simmering, then whisk a quarter cup of the hot milk into the yolk mixture, followed by another quarter cup.
3. Pour in the rest of the milk mixture, return everything to the saucepan and whisk constantly over medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes until the custard thickens to a dolloping consistency.
4. Tip the custard into a bowl, press cling wrap directly onto its surface and refrigerate it for 4 to 5 hours until set.
5. For the choux, bring the unsalted butter and the cup of water to a rapid simmer in a saucepan over medium heat.
6. Add the flour and the pinch of salt to the simmering liquid and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon for about 1 minute until the dough forms a ball and leaves the sides of the pan.
7. Let the choux dough cool for 10 minutes off the heat, and heat the oven to 425°F while it rests.
8. Beat the 4 large eggs into the cooled dough one at a time until it becomes a thick, glossy paste, then transfer it to a piping bag with a round tip.
9. Pipe small mounds of dough about 2 teaspoons each onto lined baking trays, spacing them 2 in apart, and pat down any peaks with a wet finger.
10. Bake the puffs for 15 minutes, swapping the trays halfway, then pierce each puff with a knife, lower the oven to 350°F and bake for 5 to 7 minutes more until crisp and golden.
11. Cool the profiteroles completely on a rack before piping the set vanilla custard into them through the pierced holes, or splitting them for whipped cream or ice cream instead.
12. Melt the dark chocolate with the cup of cream in short microwave bursts, stirring between each, let the sauce cool until just warm, and drizzle it over the filled profiteroles.

Prep: 30 min · Cook: 40 min · Total: 70 min

Nutrition (per serving, where published)

Estimated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient data