Choux pastry, also known as pâte à choux, is a versatile and light pastry dough that is used to make a variety of delicious treats. Its unique characteristic is its ability to puff up when baked, creating hollow centers that can be filled with sweet or savory fillings. Made from a simple mixture of water, butter, flour, and eggs, choux pastry is the foundation for classic desserts like profiteroles, éclairs, and cream puffs. Profiteroles are delicate and elegant French pastries made from choux pastry. These bite-sized delights are typically filled with creamy pastry cream and drizzled with rich chocolate ganache. The light and airy texture of the choux pastry pairs perfectly with the creamy filling and decadent glaze, creating a dessert that is both indulgent and irresistible. Profiteroles are often served as a dessert or as part of a sweet buffet, showcasing their delicate beauty and delicious flavor. Pastry cream, also known as crème pâtissière, is a smooth and creamy custard filling that is commonly used in pastries and desserts. Made from a mixture of milk, sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch, pastry cream is cooked on the stovetop until thickened and then flavored with vanilla extract. It is the perfect filling for profiteroles, adding a rich and decadent element to these delicate pastries. Ganache is a luxurious chocolate glaze made from chocolate and cream. It is often used as a topping for desserts or as a filling for chocolates and truffles. When drizzled over profiteroles, ganache adds a rich and decadent finish to these already indulgent pastries. Its smooth and glossy texture provides the perfect contrast to the light and airy choux pastry, making each bite a heavenly experience.
Why is this the best recipe?
Perfect Choux Pastry: The choux pastry in this recipe is made with a combination of water, milk, sugar, butter, and flour, resulting in a light, airy, and crisp pastry shell that is the perfect vessel for the creamy filling. Creamy Pastry Cream: The homemade pastry cream is rich and creamy, made with whole milk, sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla extract. It’s the perfect balance of sweetness and richness, adding a decadent layer to the profiteroles. Decadent Chocolate Ganache: The chocolate ganache is made with semisweet chocolate, heavy cream, and butter, creating a smooth and luscious glaze that pairs perfectly with the pastry cream and choux pastry. Simple yet Elegant Presentation: Pricking the profiteroles halfway through baking allows them to puff up beautifully while still being hollow inside, perfect for filling with the creamy pastry cream and topping with the chocolate ganache. This simple technique creates a stunning presentation that is sure to impress. Versatile Dessert: Profiteroles are a versatile dessert that can be served as a sweet treat after a meal or as a delicious snack any time of day. They can also be filled with different fillings, such as whipped cream or ice cream, making them a versatile dessert option. Homemade Goodness: Making profiteroles from scratch allows you to control the quality of the ingredients and customize the flavors to suit your taste. The homemade pastry cream and chocolate ganache take this dessert to the next level of deliciousness, making it truly the best recipe for profiteroles.
Ingredients and substitutes
Water and Milk: These liquids are combined to create the base of the choux pastry. They help create steam during baking, which causes the pastry to puff up and become hollow inside. You can use all water instead of a combination of water and milk in the choux pastry, but it may result in a slightly less rich pastry. Sugar: Adds sweetness to both the choux pastry and the pastry cream. Butter: Adds richness and flavor to the choux pastry. It also contributes to the smooth texture of the pastry cream and chocolate ganache. Margarine can be used as a substitute for butter in both the choux pastry and the pastry cream, but it may affect the flavor and texture. Flour: Provides structure to the choux pastry and helps it hold its shape as it puffs up during baking. Eggs: Provide structure and help the choux pastry rise and become light and airy. Heavy Cream: For the chocolate ganache, you can use milk instead of heavy cream, but the ganache may be slightly less rich. Semisweet Chocolate: Used to make the chocolate ganache, adding richness and a smooth texture. Bittersweet chocolate can be used as a substitute for semisweet chocolate in the ganache, but it will result in a slightly different flavor.
Step-by-step: Best Profiteroles Recipe
Choux pastry
Preheat the oven to 400°F /200°C/ Gas mark 6 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine water, milk, sugar, salt, and butter in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the flour immediately and stir quickly until a smooth dough forms. Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl and let it cool slightly. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition, until the dough is smooth and glossy. Pipe or spoon the dough onto the prepared baking sheet in small mounds.
Bake the cream puffs for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and quickly prick the bottom of each puff with a toothpick to release steam. Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake for another 5-10 minutes or until the cream puffs are deep golden brown and crisp. Remove the cream puffs from the oven and let them cool completely on a wire rack.
Vanilla pastry cream
Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, salt, and egg yolks in a saucepan until well combined. Add the milk and heavy cream while whisking to prevent lumps. Place the saucepan on the stove and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until thickened and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla extract. Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap (directly touching the surface to prevent skin from forming), and refrigerate until cold.
Chocolate ganache glaze
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate with heavy cream until smooth. Add the butter to the chocolate mixture and stir until smooth and glossy.
Assemble
Fill each profiterole from the bottom with the pastry cream using the hole created previously.Pro tip: Push the piping tip into the hole on the bottom of the profiterole. Squeeze and press the bag until it feels complete. When full, it will also feel heavy. Glaze – Dip the top of each profiterole into the chocolate glaze. Alternatively, you can drizzle the chocolate over the profiteroles using a spoon.
Tips for Success
Consistent Size: Pipe or scoop the choux pastry dough into evenly sized mounds to ensure they bake uniformly. Even Baking: Rotate the baking sheet halfway through baking to ensure even browning of the profiteroles. Pricking Holes: Use a skewer to prick a small hole in the bottom of each profiterole immediately after baking to release steam and prevent them from becoming soggy. Proper Filling: Fill the profiteroles with pastry cream or other fillings using a piping bag fitted with a small tip to ensure even distribution and avoid overfilling. Storage: Store unfilled profiteroles in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a day. Fill them just before serving to maintain their crispness. Ganache Glazing: When making the ganache, ensure the cream is hot enough to melt the chocolate completely for a smooth glaze. If the ganache is too thick, add a little more hot cream and whisk until smooth. Creative Presentation: Experiment with different toppings, fillings, and serving styles to create visually appealing and delicious profiterole desserts.
Troubleshooting
Flat Profiteroles: If your profiteroles don’t puff up and are flat, the choux pastry may not have been cooked long enough or the oven temperature may have been too low. Ensure the oven is preheated and bake the profiteroles until they are golden brown and puffed up. Soggy Profiteroles: If the bottoms of your profiteroles are soggy, they may have not been pricked with a skewer immediately after baking to release steam. Make sure to prick them while they are still warm. Cracked Profiteroles: Cracking can occur if the choux pastry dough is too dry or if the oven temperature is too high. Make sure the dough is smooth and glossy before baking and bake at the correct temperature. Overly Browned Profiteroles: If your profiteroles are browning too quickly, reduce the oven temperature slightly and/or cover them with foil halfway through baking to prevent them from over-browning. Filling Leaking Out: If the filling is leaking out of the profiteroles, it may be because they were not filled properly or the filling was too thin. Ensure the profiteroles are completely cooled before filling and use a thick filling that will hold its shape. Ganache Too Thick or Thin: If your ganache is too thick, you can add more hot cream to thin it out. If it’s too thin, you can add more chocolate to thicken it. Storing: Profiteroles are best served fresh, but if you need to store them, keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a day. Fill them just before serving to maintain their crispness.
Creative variations you can try for your profiteroles:
Fruit-Filled: Instead of pastry cream, fill the profiteroles with a mixture of fresh fruits like berries or sliced bananas tossed in a light syrup or glaze. Nutella Filling: Fill the profiteroles with Nutella for a rich and chocolaty twist. Salted Caramel: Add a dollop of salted caramel sauce to the pastry cream before filling the profiteroles for a sweet and salty flavor combination. Coffee-flavored: Add instant coffee granules or espresso powder to the pastry cream for a coffee-flavored filling. Pistachio Cream: Add pistachio paste or finely chopped pistachios to the pastry cream for a nutty and vibrant green filling. Lemon Curd: Fill the profiteroles with lemon curd for a bright and citrusy flavor. Matcha Green Tea: Add matcha powder to the pastry cream for a unique and earthy flavor. Almond Cream: Add almond extract or amaretto liqueur to the pastry cream for an almond-flavored filling. Raspberry White Chocolate: Fill the profiteroles with white chocolate pastry cream and top with raspberry sauce for a fruity and creamy combination. Spiced Pumpkin: Add pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice to the pastry cream for a seasonal twist on the classic dessert.
Creative ways to serve profiteroles:
Profiterole Tower: Stack profiteroles in a pyramid shape on a serving platter, securing them with a drizzle of chocolate ganache. This creates a stunning centerpiece for any dessert table. Profiterole Croquembouche: Create a traditional French croquembouche by stacking profiteroles in a cone shape and drizzling them with caramelized sugar. This is a show-stopping dessert for special occasions. Profiterole Sundae: For a decadent dessert sundae, serve profiteroles with a scoop of ice cream and drizzle with chocolate ganache or caramel sauce. Profiterole Sandwiches: Slice profiteroles in half and fill them with ice cream, whipped cream, or flavored mousse for a delightful sandwich-style dessert. Profiterole Skewers: Thread profiteroles onto skewers alternating with fresh fruit such as strawberries or bananas, then drizzle with chocolate ganache for a fun and elegant presentation. Profiterole Trifle: Layer profiteroles with whipped cream, fruit, and a drizzle of sauce (such as chocolate, caramel, or fruit compote) in a trifle dish for a beautiful and delicious dessert. Profiterole Cake: Arrange profiteroles in a circle on a serving platter, then fill the center with whipped cream or pastry cream and decorate with fresh berries or edible flowers for a stunning cake-like presentation. Profiterole Bites: Serve mini profiteroles as bite-sized treats, either plain or filled with a variety of sweet or savory fillings for a versatile and customizable appetizer or dessert option.
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