How to make Profiteroles

Profiteroles are a great dessert for just about any occasion. They can be filled with cream or custard and topped with chocolate or toffee. While they can be a little tricky the first couple of times you make them, in no time you will be creating Profiteroles chefs will be envious of.

• 8 Eggs (approximately)
• 320gms flour
• 5gms salt
• 100gms butter
• 500mls water
• 500gms Milk Chocolate
• 1 batch of creme pattissiere (Egg Custard)

1. Place the water,Butter and salt into a saucepan.
2. Heat until the butter is melted completely.
3. Take the saucepan off the stove once the butter is melted and add the flour. Mix thoroughly.
4. Return the saucepan to the heat and mix until mixture becomes shiny and smooth and no longer sticks to the side of the pan.
5. Allow too cool for approx 2 mins away from stove.
6. While waiting for the mixture to cool turn on the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
7. Add the eggs one at a time to the mixture ensuring to mix each egg thoroughly into the mixture before adding the next egg.
8. Mixture is ready when you can drag the wooden spoon through the mixture and the paste slowly falls back into the gap.(this is the most important part. a mixture that is too wet will not keep its shape when piped onto tray and if the mixture is too dry it will not rise properly).
9. Next you need a Piping bag with a star shaped nozzle( star shape not essential however it does improve the appearance of the profiteroles). Fill the piping bag with the Mixture (this mix is known as Choux paste).
10. Pipe small twists of the mixture onto a pre greased and lightly floured flat tray.
11. Place the tray the in the oven and bake till the profiteroles have risen and feel light.
12. Allow to cool on a baking rack.
13. Place chocolate in a stainless steel bowl and place above a container filled with water ( make sure the bottom of the bowl is not in the hot water(chocolate will burn at a very low temperature) and allow to melt. Stir occasionally to ensure all of the chocolate is melted.
14. Once profiteroles are cool you can put some of the crème patisserie in to a piping bag with a small round nozzle. Poke the end of the nozzle into the side or the bottom of the profiterole and squeeze a decent amount of custard into the profiterole.
15. Wipe any excess custard of the profiteroles.
16. Dip the top of the profiteroles into the melted chocolate and allow to set.
17. Serve and enjoy.

This recipe can be altered to make chocolate éclairs as well. Simply change step 10 to piping 10 cm long strips of the pastry. Also it is quite nice to substitute the custard for whipped cream.