Posted on Friday, 21st January 2011 by Grace

What is a Profiterole?  A Profiterole is a dessert dish consisting of Pâte à Choux Puffs (Choux Pastry Puffs) filled with Crème Chantilly (Sweetened Whipped Cream flavoured with Vanilla) or Crème Patissiere (pastry cream). The puffs can also be filled with ice cream.  If you frequent Italian Bakeries you will generally see the choux puffs made to resemble swans and filled with Crema Pasticcera.

A photo of a Profiterole with Vanilla Crème Chantilly.

Profiteroles can be garnished simply with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar or decadently with chocolate sauce or caramel sauce drizzled on top.  The tops can also be dipped in a crunchy caramel glaze.  The crunchy caramel glazed profiterole is generally used when assembling a Croquembouche (the profiteroles are arranged in the shape of a cone and held together by the caramel glaze and decorated with spun sugar).

A photo of Profiteroles with Vanilla Creme Chantilly dusted with confectioners' sugar on a wooden cutting board.

You may be asking yourself why the “Profiterole tutorial” – I am asked on a regular basis “What is the dessert pictured in your web site banner?” and “Do you have the recipe posted?”  I thought it was high time that I share one of my favourite desserts – Profiteroles with Vanilla Crème Chantilly and Hot Chocolate Sauce.

A photo of a Profiterole with Vanilla Crème Chantilly and Hot Chocolate Sauce.

Shortly after getting married I attempted Profiteroles for the first time.  At the time I referred to them as “Cream Puffs“.  I was hoping to impress my new husband with light and airy puffs filled with cloud like cream.  Unfortunately the puffs were rock hard and burnt on the bottom.  And the Crème Chantilly – lumpy!  Thankfully I have come a long way since then.

A photo of Profiteroles with Vanilla Crème Chantilly and dusted with icing sugar placed in a row on a white rectangular plate.

Choux dessert pastry recipes on a whole are quite similar.   The basic ingredients are butter, salt, sugar and water or a combination of water and milk.  I prefer making choux pastry with 100% water because I have found the puffs rise much better.

A photo of 3 Profiteroles with Chantilly Cream on a black plate.

The water in the mixture creates steam while baking, which forces the pastry to expand in volume creating a hollow centre giving the puffs a much lighter texture.  I spritz the puffs lightly with water immediately before baking to help create more steam, which also creates volume in the puffs.

A photo of Profiteroles on a wooden cutting board.

The Pâte à Choux Puffs can also be used to make another of my favourite French Pastries, the Chocolate Éclair (decadence at it’s best!).  The flip side to the dessert Profiterole is the savoury Profiterole known as the Gougères.  The Gougères is a savoury Pâte à Choux with cheese.  They can be filled with an assortment of different ingredients such as meat and vegetables.

A photo of Profiteroles with Vanilla Chantilly Cream.

Be it sweet or savoury the Profiterole will be sure to please!

Profiteroles with Vanilla Crème Chantilly and Hot Chocolate Sauce

A photo of a Profiterole with Vanilla Chantilly Cream and drizzled with Hot Chocolate Sauce.

  • Pâte à Choux Puffs – Choux Pastry Puffs
  • Crème Chantilly - Chantilly Cream
  • Hot Chocolate Sauce

Pâte à Choux Puffs – Choux Pastry Puffs

A photo of Pâte à Choux Puffs (Choux Pastry Puffs) on a wooden cutting board.

(Adapted from Betty Crocker’s Cookbook-Sixth Edition)

  • 1 cup (250 ml) water
  • ½ cup (4 ounces/115 g) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch (1.5-cm) pieces
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (140 g) plain (all-purpose) flour
  • 4 large eggs
  1. Heat oven to 425° F (220° C).  Line 2 baking sheets with non-stick baking paper or silicone mats.
  2. In a medium saucepan, heat the water, butter, sugar and salt to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring gently with a wooden spoon.
  3. Once the water mixture begins to boil add the flour all at once and stir vigorously until the panada (paste) pulls away from the sides of the pan and forms a ball, about 1 minute (internal temperature should read 80° C/176° F).
  4. Remove panada from the heat.  Let the panada cool for 2 minutes, stirring a couple of times (internal temperature should be 50° C/122° F or less).
  5. Add the eggs one-at-a-time, stirring vigorously after each addition; making sure each egg is well incorporated before adding the next.
  6. Transfer choux pastry to a pastry bag fitted with a plain ½-inch (1¼-cm) tip. Pipe the choux pastry into mounds 1½-inches (4 cm) high on the prepared baking sheets, spacing 3-inches (8-cm) apart. Level the peaked tops with the tip of a wet finger to prevent the tops from burning.  Immediately before baking, lightly spray the choux puffs on the tray with water (this will help to create steam which helps create volume in the puffs while baking).
  7. Bake until the tops and sides are golden, 25 to 30 minutes.  Turn off the oven and let the puffs rest in the oven for 5 minutes.
  8. Remove from the oven and poke in each puff in the side with a small paring knife to allow the steam to escape.  Transfer to a rack and let cool completely before filling.

Crème Chantilly – Chantilly Cream

(From Gordon Ramsay)

  • 1½ vanilla pods
  • 1¼ cups (300 ml) heavy cream (35%)
  • 1½ tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  1. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla pods into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Add the heavy cream, and confectioners’ sugar. Whisk together until soft peaks form or stiff peaks form (*See Recipe Notes).
  2. Refrigerate until ready to use.

*Recipe Notes – Whisk Crème Chantilly to a soft peak if you plan to pierce the bottom of the puffs and fill.  Whisk Crème Chantilly to a stiff peak if you plan on cutting the puff in half and then filling with Crème Chantilly.

Gordon Ramsay’s Hot Chocolate Sauce

  • 200 g (7 ounces) good quality dark chocolate, 70%, coarsely chopped
  • 30 g (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons liquid honey
  • 125 ml (½-cup) whole milk
  1. Place the chocolate, unsalted butter and honey into a heatproof bowl.  Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.  Heat, stirring occasionally until the chocolate and butter has melted.
  2. Gradually whisk in the milk until you have a smooth sauce and the milk is warmed through, set aside.

Assembling the Profiteroles

  1. Transfer Crème Chantilly to a large piping bag with a small plain tip. Pierce the base of the choux puff with the tip of the nozzle and pipe in the Crème Chantilly.  If you prefer – slice the choux puff crosswise, pipe a small amount of Crème Chantilly onto the bottom half, and replace the top.
  2. Repeat with remaining choux puffs.  If not serving immediately refrigerate until ready to use.
  3. To serve, place the desired amount of profiteroles onto individual serving plates and drizzle with hot chocolate sauce.
  4. Enjoy!

Related posts:

  1. Chocolate Éclairs with Vanilla Bean Crème Pâtissière
  2. Chocolate Chantilly – “Easy Chocolate Mousse”
  3. Butterscotch Pots de Crème with Hazelnut Praline
  4. Cannoncini alla Crema Pasticcera (Pastry Horns with Italian Pastry Cream)
  5. Deep Dish Apple Pie with Calvados

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Posted in Baking & Pastry, Baking Mise en Place, Custards, Creams & Mousses, Eggs, Fillings, Frostings & Dessert Sauces, Pastry Doughs & Batter, Recipes

Comments (18)

18 Responses to “Profiteroles with Vanilla Crème Chantilly and Hot Chocolate Sauce”

  1. Says:
    January 21st, 2011 at 2:33 pm

    Yours are so beautiful, I barely want to touch them and mess them up (though I would be more than happy to).

  2. Says:
    January 21st, 2011 at 2:42 pm

    Oh man… a profiterole sounds so good right now! I like mine with custard, yum :-)

  3. Grace Says:
    January 21st, 2011 at 2:54 pm

    I love them with custard too but I just made Cannoncini and used a pastry filling so I thought I would do something a little different.

  4. Grace Says:
    January 21st, 2011 at 2:54 pm

    Wish I could keep my hands off of them, too addictive.

  5. Says:
    January 21st, 2011 at 3:33 pm

    Grace,
    Indeed Pâte à Choux is one of those classics that never dies, and continues to contribute as an amazing canvas of unlimited tasty treats.

    Bon appetit!
    CCR
    =:~)

  6. Says:
    January 21st, 2011 at 3:57 pm

    [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by CajunChefRyan, Grace Langlois. Grace Langlois said: New Blog Post – Profiteroles with Vanilla Creme Chantilly and Hot Chocolate Sauce #sweets #chocolate #desserts #fbz [...]

  7. Says:
    January 21st, 2011 at 4:02 pm

    I like the picture with your hand holding the cream puff. Is that for me? Thank you very much! These look delicious!

  8. Says:
    January 21st, 2011 at 4:55 pm

    These look fabulous! I love making pastry….I haven’t made pâte à choux in quite a long while. Thanks for the inspiration to try them again.

  9. Grace Says:
    January 21st, 2011 at 5:02 pm

    You’re back – yahoo! Just for you – How was the trip?

  10. Says:
    January 21st, 2011 at 6:27 pm

    Oh la la! Those profiteroles look delicious! My sister loves them so I’ll try this recipe asap! Thanks for sharing!

  11. Says:
    January 21st, 2011 at 7:53 pm

    Gracie, boy do those look wonderful!!!! Gosh, I think I could eat every part on its own, but all together? Ah….perfection!

  12. Says:
    January 21st, 2011 at 8:47 pm

    I have been wanting to make cream puffs for a while now but have never gotten around to it. Your look so delicious! Maybe you could just send me some ;)

  13. Says:
    January 21st, 2011 at 9:56 pm

    Wow, these look fabulous!

  14. Says:
    January 21st, 2011 at 11:57 pm

    Gorgeous pics! Great reipce.

  15. Says:
    January 22nd, 2011 at 3:21 am

    Profiteroles are TIMELESS! and yours are very pretty!

  16. Says:
    January 22nd, 2011 at 6:27 am

    Profiteroles are on my list of goodies to bake this year. :D

  17. Says:
    January 23rd, 2011 at 8:01 am

    Gracie
    those are gorgeous profiteroles!! your images are stunning! Now you have me wanting to make those little beauties, thanks so much for the detailed recipes!
    Cheers
    Dennis

  18. Says:
    January 23rd, 2011 at 6:10 pm

    When I was a little kid my father and I made these once. I have often wanted to try them again as an adult. These are beautiful. :)

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