yummy

profiteroles for cream puff day!

When the fancy chefs talk about profiteroles, they’re really just trying to act fancy and call what we know as ‘cream puffs’ by their formal name. But whatever you call them, they’re amazingly yummy and surprisingly easy to make. I had no idea if I was going to be an absolute fool for trying to make them on Christmas Eve, but it turns out that I should have embarked on the challenge a long time ago!

So, in honor of “Cream Puff Day” (celebrated on January 2nd), I’d like to share with you a super fool proof recipe for those little profiteroles!

20111224-IMG_7696

Profiteroles

recipe inspired by Anne Burrell

[print recipe]

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 stick butter
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 eggs
  • Pinch of ground cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a small pan combine the water, butter & salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and add the flour all at once and stir it well with a wooden spoon. Cook until the mixture has formed a ball, has a slight sheen to it and it has pulled away from the pan. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and let cool for about 5 minutes. It doesn’t need to be cold, but just cool enough not to cook the eggs when added. Using an electric mixer, beat in the eggs 1 at a time. [Do not add the second egg until the first is fully incorporated!] Add in the cinnamon and beat for another second to combine.

Transfer the mixture to a pastry bag equipped with a large straight tip [or a plastic bag with a large corner cut off] and pipe 10-12 1-inch balls onto a sheet tray lined with parchment paper. When done use a tiny bit of water on your finger to smooth the top of each ball. Be sure to leave at least 1-inch between each of the balls because they grow!

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through the cooking time to insure even cooking. When done, the puffs should be light, airy and dry inside. Cool on a rack.

When ready to serve, cut in half horizontally and fill with ice cream/whipped cream or another filling of your choosing. Top with warm chocolate sauce.

20111224-IMG_7695

Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces semisweet or dark chocolate
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon corn syrup
  • 1 good pinch ground cinnamon

Directions

Create a double boiler by bringing a saucepan with 1-inch of water to a boil. Put the chocolate in a metal or heatproof glass mixing bowl and place on top of the saucepan. [Make sure that the mixing bowl does not touch the surface of the boiling water!]

Add the rest of the ingredients, stir until the chocolate has melted & everything is combined. Remove it and spoon over the filled profiteroles.

2 Comments