Profitéroles Recipe

Preheat & prepare baking sheets

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Fit a large piping bag with a 1/2–3/4 inch round tip (or use a pastry bag without a tip).

Make the panade

In a medium saucepan over medium heat combine 1 cup water, 1/4 cup milk, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 tsp granulated sugar and 1/4 tsp salt. Heat just until the butter melts and the mixture comes to a full simmer.

Add flour

Remove the pan from heat all at once and add 1 cup all-purpose flour. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together into a smooth ball and a thin film forms on the bottom of the pan (about 30 seconds).

Dry the dough

Return the pan to low heat and cook, stirring constantly, for 1–2 minutes to evaporate extra moisture. The dough should be smooth and slightly glossy.

Beat in eggs

Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle. Let cool 2–3 minutes. Add the first of the 4 large eggs and beat until incorporated; the dough will loosen. Add eggs one at a time, mixing fully after each addition, until the dough is smooth, shiny, and falls in a thick ribbon from the paddle. You may not need all 4 eggs exactly; use enough so the dough reaches that ribbon stage.

Pipe the shells

Fill the prepared piping bag and pipe 1½-inch rounds (about 2 tablespoons dough each) onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. For uniform tops, dip a wet fingertip in water and smooth any peaks.

Bake

Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 10 minutes. Without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue baking for 15–20 minutes more, until the shells are puffed, golden-brown and feel hollow when tapped. Avoid opening the oven during baking.

Dry the shells

Turn the oven off, crack the oven door open, and let the shells dry in the oven for 10 minutes to remove remaining moisture. Remove to a rack to cool completely.

Optional hollowing

Once cooled, if shells are not hollow enough to fill, cut a small slit in the side or bottom of each shell with a serrated knife or use a small spoon to remove some interior so they will hold ice cream without being overly bulky.

Warm the cream

Place 1/2 cup heavy cream in a small saucepan and heat over medium until it just begins to simmer (small bubbles at the edge). Do not boil.

Combine with chocolate

Place 8 oz chopped dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let sit for 1 minute to soften the chocolate.

Finish the ganache-style sauce

Stir the cream and chocolate together until smooth and glossy. Stir in 1 tbsp unsalted butter, 1 tbsp light corn syrup (or honey), 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and 1/8 tsp fine sea salt until fully incorporated. If sauce is too thick, add up to 1–2 tsp warm cream to reach desired pouring consistency. Keep warm over a double boiler or in a thermos until serving.

Scoop ice cream into shells

Scoop small quenelles (about 1 tablespoon) of vanilla ice cream and nestle each scoop inside a cooled profiterole shell. Alternatively, fill shells by halving them and placing a small scoop between halves.

Plate and sauce

Arrange profiteroles on chilled plates. Warm the dark chocolate sauce slightly if needed so it is pourable but not hot enough to melt the ice cream instantly (target roughly warm, 95–105°F / 35–40°C). Spoon or drizzle the sauce over the filled profiteroles to coat.

Finish and serve

Dust lightly with powdered sugar if desired and serve immediately. For an elegant presentation stack three profiteroles into a small pyramid and pour sauce tableside.