PROFITTEROL: A DELICIOUS CHOCOLATE CREAM PUFFS

Profitterol (Profiteroles) are a French spoon dessert, of Italian origin, famous all over the world!

Gluttonous puffs of choux pastry filled with Chantilly Cream or whipped cream and covered with chocolate icing!

Usually served in a pyramid shape and decorated with wisps of cream!

Delicious and choreographed, profiteroles are the goodness that never goes out of style!

What I am giving you today is the Original Recipe of profiteroles, chocolate and cream , illustrated step by step that I learned to prepare to perfection during a pastry class.

This is an easy realization believe me; the choux pastry is one of my workhorses and it can be prepared in no time, you just need to follow all my tips to the letter to get medium-sized puffs.

Once they are cold, you can proceed to fill them with cream and finally top them with the perfect profitteroles topping!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Timeless Classic: Loved around the world for its rich flavor and elegance.
• Versatile: Fill with your favorite creams and customize the size.
• Crowd-Pleaser: Perfect for festive gatherings or special celebrations.

Cooking Time

• Preparation Time: 30 minutes
• Cooking Time: 25 minutes
• Chilling Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
• Makes: 30 medium-sized profiteroles

Ingredients

For the Choux Pastry (30 Cream Puffs):

• 2/3 cup water
• 1/3 cup butter (about 5 1/3 tablespoons)
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon sugar

For the Filling:

• 2 cups pastry cream (Crema Pasticcera)

For the Chocolate Ganache Coating:

• 14 oz (400 g) dark chocolate (60–65% cocoa)
• ¾ cup + 2 tbsp (200 g) fresh cream

For Decoration:

• ¾ cup whipped cream

Step-by-Step Method

1. Prepare the Choux Pastry

1. In a saucepan, combine water, butter, salt, and sugar. Bring to a boil.
2. Add flour all at once and stir vigorously until a smooth paste forms and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
3. Remove from heat and let cool to 110–120°F.
4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next.
5. Transfer the dough to a piping bag. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, pipe puffs about ¾–1 inch in diameter, spacing them apart.
6. Bake at 350°F for 18–25 minutes (depending on size). Toward the end of baking, slightly open the oven door to release steam.
7. Cool the puffs completely on a wire rack.

2. Make the Chocolate Ganache

1. Roughly chop the chocolate and place in a heatproof bowl.
2. Heat the cream in a saucepan until just before boiling (do not exceed 185°F).
3. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Stir with a whisk until smooth, thick, and velvety.
4. Allow the ganache to cool completely before use.

3. Prepare the Filling

1. Prepare pastry cream using your preferred recipe. Chill until completely cool.
2. Pierce the bottom of each cooled puff with a sharp knife or conical nozzle. Fill with pastry cream using a piping bag.

4. Coat the Puffs

1. Using a fork, dip each filled puff into the ganache, ensuring an even coating.
2. Remove excess ganache by tapping the fork on the rim of the bowl.
3. Place coated puffs on a wire rack. Repeat the dipping process for a richer coating, if desired.

5. Assemble and Chill

1. Arrange the profiteroles in a pyramid shape on a serving plate or portion into individual dishes.
2. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

6. Decorate and Serve

1. Garnish with dollops of whipped cream.
2. Serve chilled and enjoy the delicate balance of cream, pastry, and chocolate!

Tips

• Choux Pastry Mastery: Ensure the dough cools before adding eggs to avoid cooking them.
• Double Dip: For an extra glossy ganache coating, dip the puffs twice.
• Make Ahead: Profiteroles can be assembled a few hours in advance and stored in the refrigerator.

Nutritional Information (Per Profiterole)

Buon Appetito! Indulge in the timeless elegance of Profiteroles, a perfect harmony of creamy filling, airy pastry, and rich chocolate ganache. Perfect for any dessert table, they never go out of style!

Profitterol Recipe

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Ingredients

  

For the Dough (Impasto) of 30 Cream Puffs

• 2/3 cup of water
• 1/3 cup of butter about 5 1/3 tablespoons
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup of all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of sugar

For the Filling of the Cream Puffs

• 2 cups of pastry cream Crema Pasticcera
• For the Chocolate Ganache Coating
• 2 cups of chocolate ganache
• For Decoration
• 3/4 cup of whipped cream

Chocolate Ganache

• 400 grams of dark chocolate 60-65% cocoa is approximately 14 ounces.
• 200 grams of fresh cream is approximately 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons.

Instructions

 

• To prepare the chocolate profiteroles, start by making the puffs: in a saucepan, combine the water, butter, salt and sugar.
• Bring to a boil and add the flour all at once, stirring until it forms a smooth paste.
• Remove from heat: when temperature has dropped to 110-120°F, add eggs one at a time, continuing to stir until fully absorbed.
• Allow to cool and then transfer to a pastry bag: on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, create the puffs in a regular shape, about 3/4 to 1 inch in diameter, spaced appropriately apart.
• We provide these sizes, but there are no rules: you can make them larger, keeping in mind that they will take longer to bake.
• Bake at 350°F for 18-25 minutes depending on size.
• Open the oven door slightly only toward the end of baking to allow excess steam to escape.
• Meanwhile, prepare the custard using our recipe and let it rest in the refrigerator until completely cooled.
• For the topping, prepare the chocolate ganache, again using our recipe, taking care to achieve a velvety consistency, then let it cool.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

• To prepare the chocolate ganache, roughly chop the chocolate and place it in a bowl.
• Pour the cream into a saucepan and heat it until just before boiling (trying not to exceed 185°F).
• Pour it over the chocolate and stir with a whisk until smooth, thick and velvety.
• Allow it to cool completely before using.
• Pierce the now-cooled puffs at the bottom with a conical nozzle or sharp knife and fill with the custard using a piping bag.
• Using a fork, dip the puffs into the ganache, trying to remove the excess by banging the fork on the rim of the bowl.
• Place the covered cream puffs on a wire rack.
• To get an even richer coating repeat the operation 2 times.
• At this point you can create the classic pyramid of profiteroles on the serving dish, or you can fill an oven dish or make single portions.
• Leave the chocolate profiteroles half an hour in the refrigerator and then serve with a dollop of whipped cream.