This impressive bakery speciality is easier to make than it looks. And once you've mastered choux pastry, you can pipe it into a number of different shapes to make éclairs and other tasty treats.
- Portion size 24 servings
- Credits : Canadian Living Magazine: January 2008
Ingredients
Chocolate Glaze:
Choux Pastry:
Vanilla Pastry Cream:
Method
Choux Pastry: In sauce pan, bring 1/2 cup water, milk, butter, sugar and salt to boil over medium-high heat until butter is melted. Using wooden spoon, stir in flour until mixture forms ball and film forms on bottom of pan.Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Transfer to stand mixer or bowl. Beat for 30 seconds to cool. Beat in 3 of the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition until smooth and shiny.
Line 2 rimless baking sheets with parchment paper. Using piping bag fitted with 1/2-inch (1 cm) plain tip (or spoon), pipe (or spoon) dough into twenty-four 1 1/2-inch (4 cm) wide mounds onto prepared baking sheets. Whisk remaining egg with 1 tbsp water; using pastry brush, brush mixture over mounds, gently flattening any peaks in dough.
Bake in 425°F (220°C) oven until puffed and golden, about 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 375°F (190°C); bake until golden and crisp, about 10 minutes. Turn off oven; let stand in oven for 25 minutes to dry.
Transfer to rack; using tip of knife, poke hole in bottom of each profiterole. Let cool completely. (Make-ahead: Store in airtight container for up to 24 hours. Recrisp in 350°F/180°C overn for 5 minutes; let cool before filling.)
Vanilla Pastry Cream: In bowl, whisk together egg yolks, 1/2 cup of the milk, the sugar and cornstarch. In heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat remaining milk over medium heat just until bubbles form around edge; gradually whisk into egg yolk mixture. Return to saucepan; cook, whisking, until thick enough to mound spoon, about 5 minutes.
Strain through fine-mesh sieve into clean bowl; stir in vanilla. Place plastic wrap directly on surface; refrigerate until chilled, about 3 hours. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 24 hours.)
Chocolate Glaze: In heatproof bowl over saucepan of hot (not boiling) water, melt together chocolate, butter and corn syrup, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat, leaving bowl over saucepan to keep warm.
Assembly: Using piping bag fitted with 1/4-inch (5 mm) plain tip, pipe pastry cream into each profiterole through hole in bottom. Dip tops into glaze. Let stand until set, about 20 minutes. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate for up to 4 hours.)
Nutritional facts Per serving: about
- Sodium 49 mg
- Protein 3 g
- Calories 126.0
- Total fat 6 g
- Potassium 66 mg
- Cholesterol 75 mg
- Saturated fat 3 g
- Total carbohydrate 14 g
%RDI
- Iron 4.0
- Folate 8.0
- Calcium 4.0
- Vitamin A 8.0
