Cream Puffs or Profiteroles are delicious hollow mini desserts filled with wonderful filling. They seem very complicated but in fact are very easy to make.
With this recipe you will make your own Chocolate Cream Puffs that you can serve as a light dessert or use in a Profiterole Cake.
Cream Puffs vs. Profiteroles vs. Eclairs
Cream Puffs are basically the same thing as Profiteroles: small round desserts made out of choux pastry (that's how the specific dough is called) with filling. They can be filled with whipped cream, pastry cream, ice cream or like in this case: with sour cream white chocolate filling.
Cream Puffs or Profiteroles are very similar to Eclairs. The main difference is just the shape, being the Eclairs long and a bit larger. Also Eclairs traditionally are filled with pastry cream, even though the filling is not a mandatory prerequisite in order to call a dessert Eclair.
How to make the Choux Pastry
If you never made profiteroles you might think they require some complicated pastry technique. Luckily this is not the case.
The choux pastry is quite easy to make. You need to combine water and butter on the stove and bring them to a simmer.
Then you remove the mixture from the stove and add flour - in this case it is mixed with cocoa powder but for classic choux pastry you only need flour.
Mix very well to avoid any lumps then let the mixture cool. Add eggs, one at a time, and whisk thoroughly after each to combine.
The resulting Choux Pastry is soft enough to be piped on baking tins.
The profiteroles should be baked at a high temperature: 375° F/ 190° C. During baking they will become hollow inside.
let them cool well before filling them.
How to make the filling
The current filling is creamy, light and decadent at the same time. So I highly recommend you to use it for the chocolate profiteroles.
To make it, whisk the sour cream (not cold) with the icing sugar. Then using a rubber spatula gradually add melted white chocolate (not too hot). Mix until smooth.
Special tips
- Bake the Choux Pastry Shells at a slightly higher temperature than usual cakes but not too high: 375° F/ 190° C. Don't open the oven door for the first 25 minutes to avoid the shells from falling down!
- Right after the shells are baked, prick them at least once with a toothpick. This will help the air escape easily and will prevent the shells from falling down due to too much accumulated air.
- Fill them only after they are completely cool. Cut them gently with a sharp knife and pipe the filling inside.
Variations
- You can make plain white profiteroles by omitting the cocoa powder and adding more flour instead.
- You can also fill them with other fillings: whipped cream, pastry cream like the one in the Italian Rum Cake or even Lemon Curd or Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream. There are endless possibilities.
- Consider that choux pastry shells are great also for savory filling such as cream cheese, pate, etc. You can also add garnishes like capers, olives, vegetables and make mini savory cakes for potlucks and parties.
How to store
You can freeze empty or filled cream puffs in airtight containers for up to 2 months. Beware that while this particular filling freezes well, others may not be as good.
Also thawed cream puffs might have a slightly soggy texture so I recommend you to store them unfilled, unless your filling is ice cream.
You can store filled cream puffs in the fridge covered for up to 3 days. Again, keep in mind that they will get a bit soaked and ultimately their texture might not be as nice on the second or third day.
I would be very happy to hear what you think about this recipe: let me know in the comments if you've made it!
📝 Recipe
Cocoa profiteroles with sour cream white chocolate filling
Ingredients
For the pastry:
- ¼ cup/ 60 g butter
- ⅔ cup/ 160 ml water
- 1.5 tbsp/ 10 g cocoa powder
- ½ cup/ 60 g all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the filing:
- 1 ½ cups/ 360 g sour cream
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 2.1 oz/ 60 g white chocolate, melted
For the topping (optional):
- 1.4 oz/ 40 g white chocolate
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
Pastry:
- Preheat oven to 375° F/ 190° C. Line 2 large baking pans with parchment paper.
- Combine cocoa and all-purpose flour and sift them through a sieve.
- Place water and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring them to a simmer. Remove from the heat and add the dry mixture. Whisk vigorously with a spoon until smooth. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
- Gradually add the eggs, whisking well after each addition until completely absorbed in the pastry.
- Transfer the pastry into a piping bag and pipe round profiteroles onto the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for about 25 minutes or until well puffed and slightly golden on top. Remove from the oven and prick each profiterole with a toothpick to allow the steam going out.
- Return to the oven for 2-3 more minutes until golden brown.
- Transfer the profiteroles to a wire rack. Let them cool to room temperature before filling them.
Filing:
- In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer beat sour cream and powdered sugar until thick and creamy. Gradually add the melted chocolate, beating continuously at a low speed. Alternatively you can use whisk first and a rubber spatula for the melted chocolate.
- Transfer the prepared filling to the fridge for 30 minutes to thicken. You can use the time while the profiteroles are cooling. Alternatively you can place it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
- Cut each profiterole horizontally with a sharp knife and fill them with the frosting, using a piping bag.
Topping (optional):
- Combine milk and chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and whisk continuously until the chocolate is melted completely and the mixture becomes homogeneous. Spoon the topping over the filled profiteroles.
Notes
- Store the filled profiteroles for up to 3 days in the fridge. They can be frozen for up to 2 months, in airtight containers - preferably unfilled.
- You can make white profiteroles by omitting the cocoa powder and adding more flour.
- Use any filling that you like for these profiteroles, in case you are not into sour cream: for example pastry cream or whipped cream.
Comments
No Comments