Profiteroles au Chocolat
Cream puffs are filled with rich vanilla ice cream and served with hot chocolate sauce. Roland Huet has retired, but the popularity of this dessert lives on at Christian’s, where it is one of the most popular items on the menu. The wonderful news is that the profiteroles can be made ahead of time and frozen, then heated and completed at the last minute.
Ingredients
- Pate a Choux
- Unsalted Butter - 7 ounces
- Hot Water - 2 cups
- All-Purpose Flour - 2 cups + 2 tablespoons
- Whole Eggs - 8
- Vanilla Ice Cream - 1 quart
- Hot Chocolate Sauce - 2 cups
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Put the butter and water in a large saucepan and bring to a rolling boil. Turn off the heat and add all the flour. Beat well, then turn on medium heat to dry the mixture slightly, lifting and stirring it gently as it warms. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring between each addition until completely incorporated. Put in a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip.
Pipe the profiteroles onto baking sheets, adjusting the size as desired; a 2-inch mound of dough will yield a medium-sized puff. Bake 50 minutes, then turn off the oven and leave the profiteroles inside until the oven has cooled. Open the oven door slightly after 15 minutes to make sure they will dry sufficiently. Once cooled, use immediately, or immediately freeze in zippered freezer bags until ready to use.
To serve: Preheat the oven to 425 F. Cut the profiteroles in half, pulling out any webs of dough, and place on a baking sheet. Place in the oven briefly until hot. If using medium or large profiteroles, place one bottom on each serving plate and fill with ice cream (for tiny profiteroles, serve three per person). Cover with the tops. Drizzle hot chocolate sauce over the tops and serve immediately.
