Profiteroles
This is a classic profiteroles recipe. Made using choux pastry, they are filled with a classic mascarpone cream and topped with chocolate ganache.
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Profiteroles
Profiteroles are an absolute classic dessert, and Christmas wouldn’t be complete in my family without a profiterole dessert. So, I thought it was time I shared my recipe with you.
I went with a classic profiterole recipe, but the filling options are endless, and these are so easy to customise to a flavour you want. Head down to the alternative section for some ideas.
Choux Pastry
Profiteroles are made using a choux pastry which is made differently from a puff pastry or shortcrust pastry for example.
The choux pastry is so light and delicate it can be quite tricky to get right the first time. Unfortunately, I don’t think there is such a thing as a foolproof recipe for choux pastry. If this is your first time making choux pastry take your time and don’t rush it. It might take a couple of attempts to get it correct.
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One of the places where you might struggle with the choux pastry is adding the flour to your boiling water, sugar and butter mixture. The flour needs to be added all in one go and beaten quickly for around 30 seconds or so until it forms a smooth ball. It needs to be plain flour, not self-raising.
Another place is adding the eggs. Your choux pastry needs around 5 minutes to cool down before you add your eggs to the mixture. If you add your eggs and the pastry is too hot, your eggs will cook and scramble.
The eggs need to be added gradually until the mixture is glossy. You will know the choux pastry is ready when it falls from your spatula in a V shape.
Piping the Choux Pastry
The choux pastry needs to be piped onto your silicone mat or baking paper. Silicone mats can be helpful if they have circles printed on them. This way you will know that all your choux buns are going to be the same size.
To pipe the pastry use a large round piping tip. Hold the piping bag straight and vertical to your mat or baking paper and squeeze the pastry out into a blob shape.
If your choux pastry has little pointy tips on top, wet your fingertip and gently press them down so that the top of your choux is flat.
When you are piping remember to leave space in between each profiterole as they will rise in the oven.
Mascarpone Cream
I wanted something simple but delicious to fill the centre of my profiteroles so I went with a vanilla mascarpone cream.
This is super easy to make, just whip up your mascarpone with double cream, vanilla extract and a tablespoon of icing sugar if you want to make them a little sweeter.
The mixture should be thick but pipeable. There are several ways to pipe the mascarpone cream into the centre of your profiteroles. Using the steam hole you create when the profiteroles have been removed from the oven you could use a filler piping nozzle or you could use a small round nozzle.
If you wanted to you could add a different flavouring to the mascarpone filling. Just head down to the alternatives section for more ideas.
Chocolate Ganache
I decided to dip the top of the profiteroles in the chocolate ganache but you could drizzle it over the top, or use it as a dipping sauce instead.
To make the ganache is super simple heat the double cream in a pot or in the microwave until steaming. Add in your chocolate and whisk together until the chocolate is completely melted. If your chocolate doesn’t melt completely pop it back into the microwave or onto the heat and mix until melted.
Alternatives
You could use orange, lemon, peppermint etc. Extracts in the mascarpone cream instead of using vanilla extract
You could also fill the centre with caramel or drizzle caramel over the top rather than chocolate.
Equipment
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Profiteroles
Ingredients
For the Choux Pastry
- 150 ml Water
- 2 tbsp Caster Sugar
- 50 g Unsalted Butter
- 75 g Plain Flour
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract (optional)
For the Mascarpone Cream
- 250 g Mascarpone
- 50 ml Double Cream
- 1 tbsp Icing Sugar (optional)
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract (optional)
For the Chocolate Ganache
- 150 g Milk Chocolate
- 60 ml Double Cream
Instructions
To Make the Choux Pastry
- Preheat the oven to 200C (180CFan) line a baking tray with baking parchment or a silicone mat and leave to one side
- Add the water, sugar and butter to a saucepan over a medium heat and bring to the boil.
- As soon as the mixture starts to boil remove from the heat and stir in all of the flour. You will need to beat like mad for around 20 seconds or so until it is completely incorporated and the mixture starts to come away from the sides of the pan.
- Leave the mixture to cool for around 5 minutes or so.
- Add the eggs and vanilla to a separate bowl and beat together.
- Once your flour mixture has cooled for 5 minutes gradually add in the beaten eggs. Beat the mixture well in between each addition until you reach a smooth and shiny dropping consistency.
- Pipe the mixture onto your baking trays (remember and leave space in-between each one as they will rise in the oven)
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until golden in colour and crispy.
- Once baked remove from the oven and pierce the bottom of each choux bun immediately with a skewer. Leave to rest with the steam hole facing upwards to let the steam escape and cool completely.
To Make the Mascarpone Cream
- Add the mascarpone, double cream, icing sugar and vanilla extract to a large bowl and whisk until thick and the cream holds its own shape.
- Add the mixture to a piping bag and pipe into the centre of each choux bun using the steam hole you created earlier.
To Make the Chocolate Ganache
- Heat the cream in a large saucepan or in the microwave until steaming.
- Add in the chocolate and mix until completely smooth. If your chocolate doesn't melt pop it back into the microwave or back onto the heat and heat until completely melted and smooth.
- Leave too cool before dipping the top of your profiteroles into the chocolate. You could also drizzle the ganache over the top.
Notes
- These Profiteroles will last for up to 2 days in the fridge.
- To fill the profiteroles, you can use a filling piping tip.
- You can serve these profiteroles individually or in one giant pile. If you are serving in a pile once you have dipped them in the chocolate ganache start to pile them up. Once the ganache starts to set it will help them stick together.
- I sprinkled over some chocolate curls after dipping the profiteroles into the chocolate ganache but this is completely optional.