This is one of my all-time favorite dessert to bring to Christmas parties. I fell in love with Profiteroles when I tried them in Italy a decade ago. Profiteroles are basically cream puffs or as the French would say “choux à la crème (shoo ah lah krem) filled with either whipped cream, custard, ice cream, drizzled with warm chocolate sauce on top.
To take this dessert to a “higher level” ( pun intended 
), some pastry chefs would also build a profiterole tower aka Croquembouche ( Crokenbush), held together by caramelized sugar. I was quite tempted to give it a go but I’m a classic case of the-spirit-is-willing-but-the-flesh-is-weak example.
Anyhow, if you have tried my Churros recipe, then this is no stranger to you. Basically, they are the same ingredients and steps, except the pastries are baked and not fried. So, let’s get started!
Ingredients:
Pâte à choux (Choux Pastry)
1/2 cup (75 g) all-purpose flour – sifted
1/2 stick (57 g) unsalted butter
1/3 cup (90 ml) water
2 tbsp (30 ml) whole milk
1 tsp caster sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs, beaten with 1/4 tsp vanilla extract – room temperature
Crème Chantilly (fresh whipped cream)
1 cup (250 ml) cold whipping cream
6 tbsp (46 g) confectioners’ sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Chocolate sauce
3 oz (100 g) semi sweet chocolate
1 tbsp (15 g) unsalted butter
1 1/2 tsp honey
1/4 cup (60 ml) whole milk
Makes about 15 mini choux pastries
Recipe source: Gordon Ramsay – The F Word (with slight modifications)
Pâte à choux (Choux Pastry)
The line up.
In a medium pot, add in salt, milk, water and sugar.
Once the sugar and salt has dissolved, add in butter and bring to boil.
Turn off heat and add in sifted flour. Stir quickly with a wooden spoon.
Do not wait for the butter mixture to cool. Add in the flour immediately.
Return to heat and continue mixing until it forms a ball paste.
It should look like this. The base of the pot should have a thin layer of dough.
Cool for 10 – 15 mins before adding the eggs. Test the paste with your fingers, it should feel like our body temperature. If the mixture is still hot, you’ll end up with scrambled eggs. Gradually add in the beaten eggs in 3 batches, mixing well until you get a smooth paste.
Don’t worry about the “lumpy” look. Keep mixing and the dough will smooth out eventually.
See? 🙂
Use a piping bag and pipe the paste onto a baking tray lined with baking sheet.
I’m using disposable piping bag. Put the bag in a tall cup and roll down to the side of the cup. This will make it easier and cleaner when you put the dough into the bag.
Use your fingers to push the dough towards the tip of the bag before snipping off the end.
If you don’t have a piping bag, you could use a spoon as well.
Wet your finger tip with some water and gently push down the tip of the pastry.
This will prevent the top of the choux pastry from burning.
Bake at 200ºC / 400ºF for 18 – 20 mins until puffy and golden brown.
Do not open the oven door to check or else the pastry will deflate. Set the pastries on a cooling rack to cool.
Well hello, goldies! 😀
Crème Chantilly (fresh whipped cream)
The line up.
Add in cold whipping cream, sugar and vanilla extract to a mixing bowl. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, whisk the cream until stiff peak, approx. 3 mins. It should be smooth and shiny. Put it in the fridge while we prepare the chocolate sauce.
Chocolate sauce:
The line up.
Put the chocolate, honey and butter in a bowl.
Use a heat proof bowl.
Put the bowl over a pot of hot water with gentle heat and melt the chocolate mixture. Stir in the milk and mix gently until you achieve a smooth, shiny consistency.
The consistency of the sauce will thicken slightly when cooled.
Let’s assemble the profiteroles. Using a serrated knife, slice the choux pastry into half.
The middle should be hollow.
Like this.
Spoon or pipe the crème Chantilly into each of the pastry.
I used a star tube to pipe the creme. It is not necessary if you do not have it.
Dust with confectioners’ sugar. You could choose to drizzle the chocolate sauce over or serve it on the side. I prefer the latter as it is less messy and you could dip as much (or as little) chocolate sauce as you like 
. You could also add in peaches, or strawberries on top of the crème filling.
You can definitely prepare these a day in advance and refrigerate.
Full Instructions:
Pate a choux (Choux Pastry)
In a medium pot, add in salt, milk, water and sugar. Once the sugar and salt has dissolved, add in butter and bring to boil. Turn off heat and add in sifted flour. Stir quickly with a wooden spoon. Return to heat and continue mixing until it forms a ball paste. Cool for 10 – 15 mins before adding the eggs. Test the paste with your fingers, it should feel like our body temperature. If the mixture is still hot, you’ll end up with scrambled eggs. Gradually add in the beaten eggs in 3 batches, mixing well until you get a smooth paste. Use a piping bag and pipe the paste onto a baking tray lined with baking sheet. Wet your finger tip with some water and gently push down the tip of the pastry. Bake at 200ºC / 400ºF for 18 – 20 mins until puffy and golden brown. Do not open the oven door to check or else the pastry will deflate. Set the pastries on a cooling rack to cool.
Crème Chantilly (fresh whipped cream)
Add in cold whipping cream, sugar and vanilla extract to a mixing bowl. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, whisk the cream until stiff peak, approx. 3 mins. It should be smooth and shiny. Put it in the fridge while we prepare the chocolate sauce.
Chocolate sauce
Put the chocolate, honey and butter in a bowl. Put the bowl over a pot of hot water with gentle heat and melt the chocolate mixture. Stir in the milk and mix gently until you achieve a smooth, shiny consistency.
Let’s assemble the profiteroles. Using a serrated knife, slice the choux pastry into half. The middle should be hollow. Spoon or pipe the crème Chantilly into each of the pastry. Dust with confectioners’ sugar. You could choose to drizzle the chocolate sauce over or serve it on the side. I prefer the latter as it is less messy and you could dip as much (or as little) chocolate sauce as you like. You could also add in peaches, or strawberries on top of the crème filling.
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