Profiteroles

Preparation

Step 1: Make the choux pastry

Bring the water, diced butter, sugar, and salt to a boil in a saucepan.

Remove from the heat, add all the flour at once, and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon.

Return to medium heat and dry the dough by stirring for 2–3 minutes until it pulls away from the sides and forms a ball.

Let it cool for 5 minutes.

Step 2: Incorporate the eggs

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing energetically between each addition.

The dough should become smooth, supple, and slightly shiny. It forms a ribbon when lifted.

Step 3: Bake the choux puffs

Preheat the oven to 200 °C (400 °F).

On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, pipe small mounds of dough using a piping bag or two spoons, spacing them 5 cm apart.

Bake for 20 minutes without opening the door, then lower to 180 °C and bake for another 10 minutes.

Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Step 4: Prepare the pastry cream

Heat the milk with the vanilla sugar until it just begins to simmer.

Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until pale. Add the cornstarch and mix.

Pour the hot milk over the mixture while whisking, then return everything to the saucepan.

Thicken over low heat, stirring constantly. Once the cream bubbles, cook for 1 more minute then remove from the heat.

Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap touching the surface, and let cool.

Step 5: Make the chocolate sauce

Break the chocolate into pieces in a bowl.

Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan without boiling.

Pour the warm cream over the chocolate, wait 1 minute, then stir gently until smooth and glossy.

Step 6: Fill and serve

Cut each puff in half with a serrated knife.

Fill the bottom half with pastry cream using a piping bag (or place a scoop of vanilla ice cream).

Close with the top half of the puff.

Generously drizzle with warm chocolate sauce and serve immediately.