French · Free recipe
Profiteroles
Light, hollow choux pastry puffs filled with cold vanilla ice cream and drizzled with warm chocolate sauce. This classic French dessert is a showstopper made from a handful of pantry staples.
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2
In a medium saucepan, combine the 1 cup water, 1/2 cup butter, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Heat over medium until the butter fully melts and the mixture comes to a rolling boil.
Step 3
Turn the heat to low and add the 1 cup flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a smooth ball that pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Step 4
Keep stirring and cooking the dough for another 1 to 2 minutes to dry it out slightly; a thin film will form on the bottom of the pan. Then scrape the dough into a bowl and let it cool 5 minutes so it does not cook the eggs.
Step 5
Add the 4 eggs one at a time, beating hard with the spoon after each until fully incorporated before adding the next. The dough will look slippery and separated at first but will come back together into a smooth, glossy paste.
Step 6
The dough is ready when it is thick, shiny, and slowly falls from the spoon in a V-shaped ribbon. If it is too stiff, beat in 1 tablespoon of water.
Step 7
Spoon the dough into a piping bag or a zip-top bag with a corner snipped off. Pipe mounds about 1 1/2 inches wide and 1 inch tall onto the sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. You should get about 24.
Step 8
Wet a fingertip and gently pat down any pointed tips so they do not burn. Peaks left standing will scorch.
Step 9
Bake one sheet at a time for 20 to 25 minutes. Do not open the oven for the first 20 minutes, or the puffs may collapse. They are done when deep golden brown and firm.
Step 10
Turn off the oven, poke a small hole in the side of each puff with a knife to release steam, and return them to the warm oven for 5 minutes to dry the insides. Then cool completely on a rack.
Step 11
Make the sauce. Heat the 1/2 cup cream and 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan until steaming, then remove from heat, add the 6 ounces chopped chocolate, and let sit 2 minutes. Stir until smooth and glossy.
Step 12
When ready to serve, slice each puff in half horizontally. Place a small scoop of vanilla ice cream on the bottom and set the top back on.
Step 13
Arrange 3 or 4 filled profiteroles on each plate and pour the warm chocolate sauce generously over the top. Serve immediately before the ice cream melts.
Tips from the test kitchen
- Drying the dough in the pan first gives the puffs a crisp, hollow shell.
- Do not open the oven early or the delicate puffs will deflate.
- Fill them with ice cream only right before serving.
