I have made these 100s of times . They are really easy and so delicious try stopping at one !! The recipe looks long but it really isn't. There are options for 3 different fillings

Prep: 30minutes mins

Cook: 40minutes mins

Total: 1hour hr 10minutes mins


Recipe by Recipetineats
INGREDIENTS

CHOUX PASTRY (PROFITEROLE PASTRY BALLS):​

• 100g / 7 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup flour , plain
• 4 large eggs 55 – 60g each (weight with shell), at room temperature
• Pinch of salt

FILLING OPTIONS (CHOOSE ONE):​

I always use the vanilla custard

• Vanilla custard (Creme Patissiere) (below)
• Ice cream (Note 1)
•  Whipped cream (Note 2)

THICK CUSTARD FILLING (CREME PATISSIERE):​

• 4 egg yolks (Note 5 for using leftover whites)
• 1/4 cup white sugar or caster sugar
• 3 1/2 tbsp cornflour
• 2 1/3 cups milk , full fat best
• 1/4 cup extra white sugar or caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or extract or essence)

​

DIRECTIONS

• Simmer butter & water: Place butter in a saucepan over medium heat. When mostly melted, add water then bring to a rapid simmer.
• Add flour: While liquid is simmering, add flour and pinch of salt, and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon (still on stove) until the dough forms sort of a ball and pulls away from the sides of the saucepan (see video). About 1 minute.
• Cool: Remove from heat and let mixture cool for 10 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan).
• Prepare trays: Lightly grease 2 large or 3 standard baking trays with butter, then line with paper. (Grease stops paper sliding)
• Add egg into cool dough: Add 1 egg into batter, beat until combined. Add remaining eggs one at a time making sure each is combined before adding the next. Dough should be like a thick paste (see video).
• Transfer to piping bag: Place dough into a piping bag fitted with a 13 – 15mm round tip (1/2 – 3/5").
• Pipe blobs: Pipe 2 tsp blobs 5cm/2" apart (I do 16 on each tray). Makes 40 – 50 blobs.
• Pat down peak: Wet your finger with water and pat down any peaks to form domes (for nice round balls).
• Bake 2 trays at a time for 15 minutes, switching the trays halfway.
• Remove from oven, reduce heat to 180°C (160°C fan). They should be crispy enough that when pierced, they will not collapse – if not, return to oven for 3 minutes.
• Pierce balls with knife then return to oven for 5 – 7 minutes until golden and crispy.
• Cool & fill: Transfer to rack, cool fully before filling with custard, cream or split then fill with ice cream. Drizzle with chocolate and serve!

CHOCOLATE TOPPING:​

• Place cream and chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Microwave 4 x 30 seconds, stirring in between, until incorporated. Cool to warm, then use for drizzling or dipping.

CUSTARD FILLING:​

• Whisk yolks and sugar, then whisk in cornflour.
• Place milk, vanilla and extra sugar in a saucepan over medium high. Heat until just before simmering.
• Whisk in 1/4 cup hot milk into egg mixture. Whisk in another 1/4 cup. Then add remaining milk mixture and whisk.
• Pour back into saucepan. Return to stove on medium low (low for strong stoves). Whisk constantly 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture thicks to a thick dolloping custard consistency.
• Remove from heat immediately, pour into bowl. Press cling wrap onto surface (stops skin forming) then refrigerate for 4 to 5 hours until set. Do not whisk again once set (loses thickness).
• Spoon into piping bag fitting with a very fine nozzle. Then pipe into profiteroles (use the hole pierced during bake, or make a new hole).

RECIPE NOTES

1. Ice cream filling: This is American style profiteroles. And probably the easiest Split the profiteroles, fill with ice cream, top with lid of profiterole then drizzle with chocolate sauce.

2. Cream filling: Another common filling option! Use 2 cups/500ml thickened cream, 1/4 cup white sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Place in bowl and whip with electric beater or stand mixer until firm peaks form. Transfer to piping bag and pipe into profiteroles – or split profiteroles and dollop cream inside, then top with lid. Then drizzle with chocolate sauce.

3. Chocolate Sauce thickness: This sauce is a chocolate ganache so it’s runny when warm but it sets into a soft chocolate once cooled (like fudge frosting).

4. Number of trays – if you have 3 trays (I do), bake the first 2 first then bake the 3rd on the higher temp. Then pierce them all, then do the 2nd bake. This reduces the time the 3rd tray is sitting around with uncooked dough.

5. Leftover egg whites –  why Not make a pavlova

6. Serving / freshness: Profiteroles are at their prime when made as closely as possible to serving because the crispy shells soften within a few hours. But they are still MUCH crispier than store bought!

 

[Abby22]