Profiteroles with custard cream

Ingredients

For the Choux Pastry
250 ml (1 cup) water
80 g butter, cubed
1 cup plain flour, sifted
pinch salt
2 tsp sugar
3 eggs

For the Custard Cream Filling
250 ml (1 cup) milk
175 ml (3/4 cup) heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 egg yolks
75 g (1/3 cup) caster sugar
50 g (1/3 cup) sifted flour

For the Chocolate Sauce
113 g dark baking chocolate
2 Tbsp butter
65 ml (1/4 cup) thickened cream
2 Tbsp sugar

Method

For the Choux Pastry:
Pre-heat oven to 220 C. Combine water and butter in a saucepan and bring just to the boil. Remove pan from the heat.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt and sugar. In one go, add these dry ingredients to the water/butter mixture.

Over medium heat, stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a dough and falls away from the sides of the pan. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.

Beat in one egg at a time, stirring in each egg until the dough mixture is smooth (lightly whisk each egg before adding it to the mixture). After the 3 eggs have been beaten in, the dough should be smooth and shiny.

Line a baking tray with baking paper. Now pipe balls of dough onto the tray (spaced at least 2 inches apart), using about 2 Tbsp of dough for each ball.

Place in the oven and immediately lower heat to 195 C. Cook for 20 – 30 minutes until the pastry balls puff up and become golden. Each ball should feel light and airy.

Remove the tray from the oven and turn off oven; slit a small hole in the base of each pastry ball to release any steam. Return the tray to the oven for another few minutes to dry out the pastry puffs.

For the Custard Cream Filling:
Warm the milk, cream and vanilla extract together over medium heat - do not boil.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs, then add the flour.

Over medium heat, gradually whisk in the egg and sugar mixture to the milk and cream mixture. Continue whisking until the mixture thickens and place in the fridge until chilled.

Now place the custard into a piping bag and fill each pastry puff ball.

For the Chocolate Sauce:
Over low heat, melt together the chocolate and butter. Mix in the cream and sugar and stir until the sauce is thick and smooth.

To serve, place pastries on a plate and cover with chocolate sauce.

Credits: Frans Flint

Photo Credits: Thanh