Caramel Profiteroles Recipe
salted caramel, toasted pecans Wisconsin maple ice cream
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Ingredients
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Pâte à Choux (Profiteroles)
Salted Caramel Sauce
Toasted Pecans
Filling & Assembly
Method
Pâte à Choux (Profiteroles)
- 1
Prepare oven and pan
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Fit a piping bag with a 1/2-inch plain round tip (or use a pastry bag without a tip).
- 2
Make choux paste
In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup water, 1/4 cup milk, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 tsp granulated sugar, and 1/4 tsp fine sea salt. Bring to a rolling boil over medium heat, stirring to melt butter and dissolve sugar. Remove from heat, add 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour all at once, and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a smooth ball and pulls away from the pan (about 30 seconds).
- 3
- 4
Incorporate eggs
Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl. Let cool 2–3 minutes (so eggs won’t scramble). Beat in eggs one at a time (by hand or with paddle/whisk), mixing thoroughly after each addition until the dough is smooth, glossy, and just holds its shape. You may not need all 4 eggs; the final dough should be pipeable and fall in a V when the spatula is lifted. If too stiff, add the remaining egg (or part of it).
- 5
Pipe and bake
Pipe rounds about 1.5 inches (4 cm) in diameter, spaced 1.5–2 inches apart, making about 30–36 small puffs. Smooth any peaks with a moistened finger. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 10 minutes, then lower oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake for an additional 15–18 minutes until deep golden brown and crisp. Do not open the oven during baking.
- 6
Dry out
When baking completes, turn oven off, crack oven door slightly, and let profiteroles sit in the warm oven 8–10 minutes to dry out. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before filling.
Salted Caramel Sauce
- 7
Caramelize the sugar
In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine 1 cup granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons water. Swirl pan gently to moisten sugar but do not stir. Cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and begins to color at the edges. Watch closely as it turns amber—this will take 6–10 minutes.
- 8
Finish the caramel
When the sugar reaches a deep amber color, remove from heat and carefully whisk in 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter in pieces until fully incorporated (mixture will bubble vigorously). Slowly and carefully pour in 3/4 cup warm heavy cream while whisking; if caramel hardens, return to low heat and stir until smooth. Stir in 1 teaspoon fine sea salt. Let the sauce cool slightly; it will thicken as it cools. Keep warm or reheat gently before serving.
Toasted Pecans
- 9
Toast pecans
Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add 1 cup pecan halves and 1 teaspoon unsalted butter. Toast, stirring or shaking the pan frequently, until fragrant and slightly darker, about 4–6 minutes. If using 1 teaspoon light brown sugar, add it in the last 1–2 minutes so it melts and glazes the nuts. Sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt if desired. Remove from heat and cool on a plate.
- 10
Rough chop
When cool, roughly chop the pecans to a mix of halves and smaller pieces for texture. Reserve for assembly.
Filling & Assembly
- 11
Prepare ice cream filling
Scoop the Wisconsin maple ice cream into a shallow bowl and let soften at room temperature for 5–8 minutes so it is scoopable but not melted.
- 12
Fill profiteroles
Use a small piping tip or a melon baller to cut or hollow a small hole in the bottom of each cooled profiterole (or slice in half horizontally). Fill each with about 1 tablespoon of softened maple ice cream (adjust so each choux gets a generous scoop). If slicing, place a small scoop between top and bottom and reassemble quickly to avoid melting.
- 13
Plate and finish
Arrange filled profiteroles on plates or a platter. Drizzle each with 1–2 tablespoons salted caramel sauce (warm, but not piping hot). Sprinkle toasted pecan pieces over the profiteroles and caramel. Dust lightly with 1/2 teaspoon powdered sugar per serving if desired. Serve immediately so ice cream remains frozen and caramel provides a warm contrast.