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Profiteroles
5 from 109 votes

Profiteroles

Profiteroles are delicate choux pastry puffs baked until crisp and hollow, perfect for filling with options like vanilla custard, whipped cream, or ice cream. Topped with a rich chocolate ganache, they offer a combination of light, airy pastry and creamy, sweet fillings. This recipe includes making the choux dough, baking the puffs, preparing the custard filling, and a smooth chocolate sauce to complete the classic French dessert.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
1 hr 10 mins
Servings: 48
Calories: 101 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Choux Pastry (profiterole pastry balls):
  • 100g / 7 tbsp butter unsalted
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup flour , plain / all purpose
  • 4 egg 55 - 60g / 2 oz each (weight with shell), at room temperature, large
  • Pinch salt
Filling Options (choose one):
  • vanilla custard below, Creme Patissiere
  • Ice cream (Note 1)
  • Whipped Cream (Note 2)
Thick Custard Filling (Creme Patissiere):
  • 4 egg Note 5 for using leftover whites, yolk
  • 1/4 cup white sugar , caster / superfine
  • 3 1/2 tbsp cornstarch or cornflour
  • 2 1/3 cups milk , full fat best
  • 1/4 cup white sugar caster / superfine, extra
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or extract or essence)
Chocolate Sauce (Note 3):
  • 250g / 8 oz dark chocolate (or US semi-sweet)
  • 1 cup cream

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Simmer butter & water: Place butter in a saucepan over medium heat. When mostly melted, add water then bring to a rapid simmer.
  2. Add flour: While liquid is simmering, add flour and pinch of salt, and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon (still on stove) until the dough forms sort of a ball and pulls away from the sides of the saucepan (see video). About 1 minute.
  3. Cool: Remove from heat and let mixture cool for 10 minutes.
  4. Preheat oven to 220°C/420°F (200°C fan).
  5. Prepare trays: Lightly grease 2 large or 3 standard baking trays with butter, then line with paper. (Grease stops paper sliding)
  6. Add egg into cool dough: Add 1 egg into batter, beat until combined. Add remaining eggs one at a time making sure each is combined before adding the next. Dough should be like a thick paste (see video).
  7. Transfer to piping bag: Place dough into a piping bag fitted with a 13 - 15mm round tip (1/2 - 3/5").
  8. Pipe blobs: Pipe 2 tsp blobs 5cm/2" apart (I do 16 on each tray). Makes 40 - 50 blobs.
  9. Pat down peak: Wet your finger with water and pat down any peaks to form domes (for nice round balls).
  10. Bake 2 trays at a time for 15 minutes, switching the trays halfway.
  11. Remove from oven, reduce heat to 180°C/35°0F (160°C fan). They should be crispy enough that when pierced, they will not collapse - if not, return to oven for 3 minutes.
  12. Pierce balls with knife then return to oven for 5 - 7 minutes until golden and crispy.
  13. Cool & fill: Transfer to rack, cool fully before filling with custard, cream or split then fill with ice cream. Drizzle with chocolate and serve!
Chocolate topping:
  1. Place cream and chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Microwave 4 x 30 seconds, stirring in between, until incorporated. Cool to warm, then use for drizzling or dipping.
Custard filling:
  1. Whisk yolks and sugar, then whisk in cornflour.
  2. Place milk, vanilla and extra sugar in a saucepan over medium high. Heat until just before simmering.
  3. Whisk in 1/4 cup hot milk into egg mixture. Whisk in another 1/4 cup. Then add remaining milk mixture and whisk.
  4. Pour back into saucepan. Return to stove on medium low (low for strong stoves). Whisk constantly 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture thicks to a thick dolloping custard consistency.
  5. Remove from heat immediately, pour into bowl. Press cling wrap onto surface (stops skin forming) then refrigerate for 4 to 5 hours until set. Do not whisk again once set (loses thickness).
  6. Spoon into piping bag fitting with a very fine nozzle. Then pipe into profiteroles (use the hole pierced during bake, or make a new hole).

Notes

  • For ice cream filling, split hot profiteroles, fill with ice cream, replace lids, and drizzle with warm chocolate sauce.
  • Whipped cream filling involves whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla until firm peaks form; pipe or dollop inside profiteroles before topping with chocolate sauce.
  • Chocolate sauce is a ganache that is runny warm but sets to a fudge-like consistency when cooled.
  • To maintain crispness, reheat pastry in a hot oven for a few minutes before filling and serving.
  • Filled profiteroles are best enjoyed soon after assembly; custard-filled ones store better up to 24-36 hours than cream-filled.
  • Cooked, unfilled pastry shells can be stored airtight for 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months; re-crisp by reheating in oven.

Nutrition Information

Calories 101cal (5%) Carbohydrates 8g (3%) Protein 1g (2%) Fat 6g (9%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Cholesterol 42mg (14%) Sodium 29mg (1%) Potassium 60mg (1%) Sugar 4g (8%) Vitamin A 180IU (4%) Vitamin C 0.1mg (0%) Calcium 26mg (3%) Iron 0.6mg (3%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 48 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 101

% Daily Value*

Calories 101cal 5%
Carbohydrates 8g 3%
Protein 1g 2%
Fat 6g 9%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 42mg 14%
Sodium 29mg 1%
Potassium 60mg 1%
Sugar 4g 8%
Vitamin A 180IU 4%
Vitamin C 0.1mg 0%
Calcium 26mg 3%
Iron 0.6mg 3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.