Profiteroles Recipe

Prepare Oven and Pans

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Fit a pastry bag with a 1/2-inch round tip or use a plastic bag with the corner snipped.

Make the Pâte à Choux

In a medium saucepan combine 1 cup water, 1/4 cup whole milk, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a vigorous simmer over medium heat until the butter is fully melted and mixture just comes to a boil.

Remove the pan from heat and immediately add 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a smooth ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 30 seconds. Return to low heat and cook, stirring constantly, for another 30–60 seconds to dry the dough slightly. This helps ensure the shells puff.

Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl (or both the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle). Allow to cool for 2–3 minutes (so the eggs won't scramble). Begin adding the large eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated and the dough is smooth, glossy and just drops slowly from the spoon or spatula. You may not need all 4 eggs; stop when the dough is thick but pipeable (it should form a V when dropped).

Fill the pastry bag with the dough and pipe 1 1/4-inch rounds (or 1 1/2-inch for larger profiteroles) about 1 inch apart onto prepared sheets. For uniform size, use a small scoop or mark spacing on the parchment. Smooth any peaks with a wet fingertip.

Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake another 18–22 minutes until deeply golden and puffed. Do not open the oven during baking. If the centers feel soft, bake an additional 3–5 minutes.

Once baked, immediately pierce each shell with a small sharp knife to release steam (this helps them dry inside). Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

If using store-bought ice cream, allow it to soften at room temperature for 5–10 minutes until scoopable but not melted. If you make your own ice cream, freeze until firm and keep cold until assembly.

Scoop or pipe ice cream into a shallow container and refreeze briefly if it softened too much. For assembly, you want firm but scoopable ice cream so it doesn't melt while filling.

Chop chocolate finely and place in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, warm 3/4 cup heavy cream until it just begins to simmer (small bubbles at edges), then remove from heat.

Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate. Let sit 1 minute to soften, then stir gently until smooth. Stir in 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon corn syrup (optional) and a pinch of salt until glossy. Keep warm over a very low bain-marie or in a thermos; if it thickens, rewarm gently and stir before serving.

Chill a mixing bowl and beaters briefly. Pour 1 cup cold heavy cream into the bowl, add 2 teaspoons powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Whip to soft peaks: when you lift the whisk, the cream should hold a gentle peak that slightly curls. Do not overwhip. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large round or star tip or keep refrigerated until assembly.

Using a small serrated knife, slice the top off each cooled profiterole or cut a small hole in the bottom. If you prefer a filled 'cream puff' style, fill each shell with about 1 tablespoon of softened vanilla ice cream using a small scoop or a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Work quickly so the ice cream does not melt; return filled profiteroles to the freezer for 5–10 minutes if needed to firm.

Arrange 3–4 filled profiteroles on each serving plate. Warm the chocolate sauce briefly so it is pourable (do not overheat). Drizzle 1–2 tablespoons warm chocolate sauce over the profiteroles on each plate.

Pipe or spoon a dollop (about 2 tablespoons) of whipped cream beside or atop the profiteroles. Dust with confectioners' sugar or sprinkle chocolate shavings/cocoa powder, if desired.

Serve immediately: profiteroles should be crisp outside, cold inside from the ice cream, with warm chocolate and cool whipped cream creating contrast. Leftovers: keep unfilled shells in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days; filled profiteroles are best eaten immediately.