Chocolate Profiteroles

What I love about Pâte Choux or Choux pastry is how versatile it is. It is easy to make, quick to bake and it can create different products within a minute by just piping, decorating or finishing the product differently. Churros are made with the same pastry and fried. Éclair's piped into finger-length pastries of 10cm, filled and glazed. Paris-Brest is piped in a circle and profiteroles (sometimes called choux puffs) can be made as a savoury hors-d’œuvre or a sweet dessert such as these Chocolate Profiteroles filled with Pastry Cream (Crème Pâtissière).They can be filled with ice cream and even freeze for a few weeks. Gougères (cheese puffs) are made the same way as profiteroles but distinctively filled with cheese.

Chocolate Profiteroles

Crème Pâtissière

Yield: 500 ml

Ingredients

500 ml milk

5 ml vanilla essence

25 g plain flour

35 g cornflour

100 g castor sugar

1 whole egg

1 egg yolk

50 g butter

Method

1. Place the milk and vanilla in a saucepan and bring to the boil over medium heat.

2. While the milk is heating, combine the flour, cornflour, and castor sugar in a mixing bowl. Add the egg and egg yolk and whisk until smooth and creamy.

3. Once the milk reaches boiling point, remove it from the heat. While whisking continuously, slowly add half of the hot milk to the egg and sugar mixture to temper it.

4. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk. Return to medium heat and whisk continuously until the custard thickens and comes to the boil. Continue cooking for about 2 minutes to remove any flour taste.

5. Remove from the heat and transfer the custard to a clean bowl. Add the butter and beat on low speed for 10 minutes, or until the crème pâtissière is smooth and warm to the touch.

6. Transfer to a fresh bowl, cover the surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Pâte à Choux (Choux Pastry)

Preparation time: ± 20 minutes
Baking time: ± 20 minutes
Yield: 750 g pastry

Servings: 12

Ingredients

125 ml water

125 ml milk

100 g butter

2.5 ml fine salt

150 g plain flour, sifted

4 eggs, lightly beaten

Method

1. Place the water, milk, butter, and salt into a saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil.

2. Remove from the heat and add all the sifted flour at once. Stir immediately with a wooden spoon until combined.

3. Return the saucepan to medium heat and beat continuously for 2–3 minutes, until the mixture forms a smooth, glossy paste and pulls away from the sides of the pan.

4. Transfer the paste to a mixing bowl and beat on medium speed until the mixture cools to lukewarm.

5. Gradually add the beaten eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. The dough should become smooth, shiny, and elastic. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

6. To test the consistency, lift the beaters: the dough should stretch about 5 cm before breaking. If the mixture is too stiff and holds a firm peak, add a little more egg.

7. Transfer the choux paste to a piping bag. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days if not used immediately.

Baking the Choux

1. Pipe the choux onto a lined baking tray. Pipe small, even mounds

2. Brush lightly with egg wash. Use a fork to gently score a crosshatch pattern on top. This encourages even browning and controlled expansion during baking.

3. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C. Do not open the oven door during the initial baking stage, as this will prevent proper lift.

4. After 15 minutes, reduce the temperature to 170°C and bake for a further 30 minutes to dry out the pastry.

5. During the final minutes of baking, the oven door may be opened slightly to allow excess steam to escape.

Assembly

1. Transfer custard cream to a piping bag fitted with a small nozzle.

2. Pierce a small hole on the bottom end of each profiterole and pipe in the custard until filled.

3. Melt blocks of chocolate over a double boiler and keep warm.

4. To glaze, dip the top of each profiterole into the melted chocolate, then turn it upright and clean the edges to remove excess.

5. Place on a wire rack and allow the chocolate to set. Repeat with remaining ones.

6. Decorate as desired with fresh berries, edible glitter, chopped nuts, or other garnishes. Serve immediately.