Perfect profiteroles

1. 1

   To make the choux pastry, place 70ml/2¼fl oz water, milk, sugar, salt and butter in a large stainless steel saucepan over a low-medium heat and cook until the butter has melted. Turn the heat up to medium-high and continue cooking until the mixture has come to a rolling boil.

2. 2

   Remove from the heat and add the flour, stirring to form a dough. Initially this mixture may look a little like scrambled egg but this is fine - keep beating until the mixture is smooth.

3. 3

   Place the pan back over a medium heat and cook, continuing to stir, for a further 2 minutes or until the dough forms a skin on the bottom of the pan. This ensures the flour in the choux pastry is cooked to the correct temperature.

4. 4

   Tip the dough into a bowl and beat with a wooden spoon (or electric mixer) for a few minutes to release the steam and reduce the temperature so the eggs won’t scramble when added.

5. 5

   Once slightly cooled, add the first egg and beat until fully mixed into the dough. After the first egg, the dough will be cohesive but thick and not yet pipeable.

6. 6

   To get to the correct consistency, add enough of the second egg to make a dough that is slightly glossy and forms a v-shaped ribbon as it falls from the spatula when lifted from the bowl. For this recipe, it should be two large eggs but after you have added the first egg, add the remaining egg a little at a time so that you don’t end up adding too much. (See Recipe Tip) Any leftover beaten egg can be used for brushing the tops of the profiteroles.

7. 7

   Once the correct texture has been achieved, the pastry is ready to be used so transfer to a piping bag. You could also seal the bag and chill in the fridge for a few hours before using. This means the pastry can be prepared ahead of baking and chilling also thickens the pastry, making it a little easier to pipe.

8. 8

   Line two baking trays with baking paper and preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5.

9. 9

   To bake the choux pastry, pipe small rounds of pastry, roughly 3cm/1¼in in diameter, onto the baking paper on the trays. To make this easier, you can draw 3cm/1¼in circles on the back of the baking paper as a template.

10. 10

    There are now some options to finish the profiteroles. Either glaze with beaten egg - a classic choice that gives a nice shine - or simply dust with a little icing sugar. You can also apply a light misting of spray oil. The icing sugar and spray oil are quicker and easier to apply than the egg but don’t offer the same shine.

11. 11

    Bake the profiteroles in the oven for about 25 minutes, then turn off the oven. Open the door briefly to release any steam, but leave the choux buns in the oven to cool down slowly as the oven cools. Leave them for 30 minutes before removing. This ensures the choux buns hold their shape and do not collapse.

12. 12

    To make the chocolate sauce, place the cream and honey in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the cream mixture carefully into a jug. Add the chocolate and set aside for a few minutes before stirring together to form a smooth and shiny sauce.

13. 13

    To assemble the profiteroles, slice the buns in half and fill with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. Pile the profiteroles up on a large serving platter and pour the chocolate sauce over the warm profiteroles. Serve immediately.

1 serving ≈ 133 g

Nutrition values are estimates. - means data is unavailable.