The first time I made Profiteroles I couldn’t believe how easy they were. My husband always ordered them at restaurants and I thought for sure they had to be something extremely hard to make, but one day I got up the courage to try and make them myself and wondered what all the fuss was about. They were perfect.
Then I started watching Masterchef, the episode where they had to make a Croquembouche (something I am dying to try to make), and one of the judging chefs went on about how difficult it was to get your profiteroles just right. And that was it….the next time I made them I was so worried about how they would turn out that they were a total failure. Rubber to be exact! So from then on I decided to just make them and not worry about whether they would turn out or not, after all, they were easy the first time. And you know what? I haven’t had a failure since. There’s really no need to fuss with them, they are quick and easy to make, they look impressive, and you can dress them up however you want. Flavour your cream, drizzle with melted chocolate, serve them with chocolate covered strawberries, whatever takes your fancy at the time. And the best part is you probably already have the ingredients for them in your fridge and pantry, and you can make them in advance, so no fussing while you are trying to get ready for your party.
So if you’re stuck for a New Year’s Eve Dessert, why not give Profiteroles a try?
Cream Filled Profiteroles with Chocolate Sauce
Ingredients:
100g butter
1 cup water
¾ cup plain flour
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups dollop cream
Chocolate Sauce
½ cup cocoa
½ cup icing sugar
¼ cup water
2 Tbs pure cream
Cocoa to serve
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 220°C and line a baking tray with grease proof paper.
2. Combine butter and water in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
3. Reduce the saucepan to a low heat, add flour and stir through with a wooden spoon for 3-5 minutes or until mixture comes together.
4. Place mix in a mix master and beat whilst gradually adding the eggs.
5. Spoon mix into a piping bag and pipe balls onto the baking tray adequately spaced apart.
6. Bake profiteroles in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until light and golden.
7. Cut a small slit in each profiterole, spoon cream into a piping bag and pipe cream in to fill the profiteroles.
8. For the chocolate sauce, whisk cocoa, icing sugar and water in a pan over low heat until all are dissolved. Whisk in cream.
9. Serve profiteroles dusted with cocoa and drizzled with chocolate sauce.
Notes: I just melt some dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, drizzle the chocolate over the profiteroles. If you want your chocolate to harden, just place your profiteroles in the fridge to set, if you want it runny, serve immediately.
If you don’t have a mix master, you can do Step 4 by hand, I do.
Source: http://readysteadycook.ten.com.au/7147.htm