Classic Profiteroles

Makes 48 servings

Whether you call it a cream puff, profiterole, or chou à la crème, this elegant French pastry has been a favorite since its American debut in 1851. Pop one of these chocolate drizzled delights into your mouth to experience whipped cream oozing from the fluffy pastry and you’ll see why it’s still an international favorite!

INGREDIENTS

For the dough:

½ cup unsalted butter
1 cup water
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon sea salt
4 large eggs, room temperature

For the chocolate drizzle:

1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces semi-sweet dark chocolate

For the filling:

2 cups heavy cream
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

To make the dough:

1. Place the butter in a small pot set over low heat until melted.
2. Add the water and raise the heat to medium high. Bring to a simmer and remove from heat.
3. Add the flour and salt, stirring with a wooden spoon for about 1 minute, until the profiterole dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pot.
4. Cool dough in the pot for 10 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 420°F and lightly coat two cookie sheets with non-stick spray.
6. Place cooled dough in a bowl and add the eggs one at a time, stirring well after each addition, until the dough resembles a thick paste.
7. Transfer the dough to a piping bag outfitted with a star tip and pipe small round mounds of dough (of approximately 2 teaspoons) onto the prepared cookie sheets leaving at least 2-inches of space between each one.
8. Bake for 7 minutes, then rotate pans and bake for an additional 9–12 minutes. Remove pan from oven and pierce the top of each profiterole with a knife to create a hole for the filling. Continue baking for an additional 5–7 minutes, until golden and crispy.
9. Transfer the profiteroles to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the chocolate drizzle:

1. Combine the heavy cream and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Set microwave power at 20% and heat at 30-second increments, stirring after each, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Allow the chocolate to cool slightly.

To make the filling:

1. Add the heavy cream to the bowl of a stand mixer outfitted with a whisk attachment and whip it for 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and whip for 5–8 minutes, until stiff peaks form.
2. Transfer the whipped cream to a piping bag outfitted with a small nozzle and squeeze it into the holes in the cooled profiteroles.
3. Drizzle the profiteroles with chocolate and let sit for 10–15 minutes, to set the chocolate before serving. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

NUTRITION • PER ONE SERVING

Calories 105 (5%)
Total Fat 8.62 g (18%)
Saturated Fat 5.184 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.386 g
Monounsaturated Fat 2.566 g
Trans Fat 0.002 g
Cholesterol 38 mg
Sodium 26 mg (2%)
Total Carbohydrate: 5.83 g (2%)
Dietary Fiber: 0.4 g (2%)
Total Sugars: 3.29 g
Protein: 1.38 g (3%)
Vitamin A 227 mcg (12%)
Vitamin C 0.1 mcg
Vitamin D 8 mcg (1%)
Potassium 42 mg (1%)
Calcium 16 mg (2%)
Iron 0.48 mg (3%)

This AMAZING Recipe can be found in my new Desserts on the Mediterranean cookbook here