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profiteroles on a serving plate.
cookingwithmykids

Mary Berry profiteroles

PROFITEROLES ARE A DELICIOUS DESSERT. CRISPY BUNS OF CHOUX PASTRY FILLED WITH CREAM AND TOPPED WITH A CHOCOLATE SAUCE. THEY'RE PERFECT FOR DINNER PARTIES, AND MUCH EASIER THAN YOU THINK TO MAKE.
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Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Afternoon tea, Dessert
Cuisine: French
Calories: 405
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

For the choux pastry
  • 50 g (¼ cup) butter
  • 150 ml water
  • 75 g (½ cup) plain flour
  • 2 eggs
For the filling
  • 200 ml (1 cup) double cream
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
For the topping
  • 75 ml (⅓ cup) double cream
  • 75 g (⅓ cup) dark chocolate

Equipment

  • Digital scales
  • Sauce pan
  • Wooden spoons
  • Sieve
  • Freestanding mixer
  • Measuring cups
  • measuring spoons
  • Piping bag
  • Wire rack

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 220C / 200C fan / 425 F, and grease two baking trays or line them with baking or parchment paper.
HEAT THE BUTTER AND WATER IN A PAN
  1. Measure the butter and pop it in a saucepan with the water. Heat the pan until the butter has melted and the water is boiling.
ADD THE FLOUR
  1. While the butter is melting, measure the flour out into a small bowl.
  2. Once the butter has melted, and the water is boiling, add the flour. Mary Berry refers to being taught to 'shoot' the flour in, so add it quickly and then mix it in with a wooden spoon, keeping it on the heat to cook for a minute or so.
    Beat the flour and butter together until the mixture has thickened into a smooth dough, then remove it from the heat and set it aside to cool for five minutes.
ADD THE EGGS
  1. Crack the eggs into a small bowl and give them a whisk.
  2. Slowly add the beaten eggs to your dough a little at a time, beating after each addition until the egg has all been incorporated and you have a thick, smooth and glossy dough.
MAKE THE PROFITEROLES
  1. Fit a piping bag with a 1cm – 1.5 cm (½ – ¾ inch) plain nozzle. Spoon the choux pastry batter into the piping bag and pipe 20 or so mounds onto the prepared baking tray. Leave space between then as they'll spread a bit in the oven.
    Dip your finger in water and flatten down any peaks on top of the profiteroles.
  2. If you don't have a piping bag or if you find it easier, you can spoon little dollops of choux pastry batter (approximately walnut sized) onto your baking tray.
BAKE THE PROFITEROLES
  1. Bake the profiteroles in the oven for 10 minutes, then turn the temperature down to 190C / 160C Fan / 375F and bake for a further 15-20 minutes.
    They're ready when they've puffed up, are crispy on the outside and have turned a nice golden brown colour.
  2. Remove the choux buns from the oven and pierce the base with a skewer or sharp knife to allow the steam escape.
  3. Pop them back in the oven for another 5-8 minutes until they are nice and crispy and have dried out in the inside.
    Remove the buns from the oven and pop them on a wire rack to cool.
FILL THE CHOUX BUNS
  1. Add the double cream and vanilla to a large mixing bowl or free-standing mixer. Whisk the cream until it has reached 'soft peaks'. If you're not sure what 'soft peaks' are, you're looking for you want the cream to be thick enough to hold very briefly when you lift the whisk up before the flopping back down on itself again.
  2. Add the cream to a piping bag fitted with a small nozzle.
    Insert the nozzle into each cooled bun and squeeze to fill it with cream.
MAKE THE CHOCOLATE SAUCE
  1. Pour the cream into a saucepan and heat it until it is just about to boil.
  2. While the cream is warming break the chocolate into small pieces and pop it in a mixing bowl. Pour the hot cream over the top of the chocolate and stir it until the chocolate has melted and the ganache is nice and smooth and glossy.
  3. Leave the ganache to cool a little.
  4. You can either dip the profiteroles into the chocolate and leave them to set, or arrange them on a serving plate and pour the chocolate over the top.