Profiteroles are one of the most deceptively glam desserts you can possibly make. Period. They look as if they take hours to prepare – but they’re actually so quick and easy to make – and so absolutely delicious, they’ve become my go-to dessert for those occasions (like this Mother’s Day) when I need something special, but not necessarily time-consuming or complicated.

The real effort (if there is any) in profiteroles comes with making the pastry puffs. But if you don’t over-think it, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how easily they come together. The puffs are created with choux pastry – a French pastry that’s also used for cream puffs and chocolate éclairs, so once you’ve mastered the profiterole, it’s very easy to venture further into the world of patisserie using this same recipe and a few simple variations.

Choux Pastry Puffs for Profiteroles

You’ll need a good non-stick saucepan (I have a Calphalon saucepan that works beautifully for these) as you actually make this pastry, in part, over heat – and a non-stick makes all the difference when you add the flour and form the basic dough.

• 4 large egg yolks
• 1-cup all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ sticks butter
• 1-cup milk (I use whole, 2% or reduced fat but not skim)
• pinch of salt

What You Do

1. Pre-heat oven to 400F.
2. Melt the butter in a heavy non-stick saucepan over medium-high heat.
3. Add the milk as the butter is melting and bring them to a scald (not boiling but very hot)
4. Using a spatula or a wooden spoon, stir in the flour. It will look like a lumpy mess for a few seconds but keep stirring – the mixture will quickly form a dough.
5. Pour the dough mixture into the food processor and mix in the egg yolks one at a time, along with the pinch of salt. (If you haven’t got a food processor, as I didn’t for many years, a large mixing bowl, a strong wooden spoon and some arm muscle will do the trick just fine!).
6. Mix in the egg yolks until the dough is thick.
7. Place the dough in the sleeve of a pastry bag and pipe small rounds onto the baking sheet. Alternately – and I find this way to be faster, easier and just as effective – create small “puffs” of dough using two dessert spoons. (“Puffs” should measure about 1” to 1.5” across).
8. Bake on 400F for 20 minutes until puffs have risen and are golden. Turn off oven and let them rest for 10 more minutes.
9. Remove from oven and use a sharp knife to cut a small horizontal slit in the side of each puff (this helps the steam escape).
10. Set on cooling rack until ready for use. (Puffs can be frozen for a few weeks).

Chocolate Profiterole Sauce

What You Need

• 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
• ½ - ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
• ¼ cup honey
• 1 tsp pure vanilla essence

(NOTE: You’ll also need a pint or more of your favourite vanilla ice cream!)

What You Do

1. Melt chocolate chips and whipped cream together in a double-boiler (see Chocolate Orange Hot Fudge Honey Sauce for how-to).
   
2. As the chocolate melts, stir in the honey and vanilla essence. Keep stirring until all ingredients have melted and the sauce has become a gorgeous, silky smooth gloss.

To Serve Your Profiteroles…
Depending upon their size, take two or three puffs and fill them with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream (if you prefer, you can also fill them with thick whipped cream). Pour chocolate sauce over each puff and serve immediately.

Options & Alternatives…You can use the same pastry puffs to create Cream Puffs. You can also incorporate shredded cheese into the choux pastry recipe for savory pastry puffs that can be filled to create all kinds of bite-sized hors d’oeuvres!

Archive Note: I first wrote about profiteroles in "Behold the Profiterole" on Modern Girls Kitchen in September, 2005. Check out the original entry here.

Because sometimes, you've just got to give in to the craving...and because there really is nothing better than a homemade chocolate fudge sauce - especially when it's served over a bowl of your favourite vanilla bean ice cream.

 

You can't be good all the time. I can't, anyway. I do try, obviously (don't we all?), but let's be honest, that Skinny Bitch voice inside us all can be grating at times. And when that happens, sometimes it really is okay to say screw it, I'm having dessert.

This chocolate sauce is perfect for those moments - it's childish oodgy-goodginess is delightfully comforting, but its sophisticated velvety gloss reminds you that this is still a sauce for grown-ups.

What You Need

1. 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks or chocolate chips (I love Ghiradelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips)
2. 1/2 cup golden local honey
3. 1/4 cup half & half (you can also use double cream or heavy whipping cream, just remember it will up the cream factor - and the calories)
4. 1 tsp Pure Orange Extract

Optional: Substitute half of the half & half or cream for a single shot of dark espresso. You can also add a small amount of fresh orange zest.

What You Do

• Assemble your ingredients, then fill a medium-sized saucepan with water and place it on the stove on medium-high heat.
  
• Take a smaller saucepan and place it gently into the water in the medium saucepan so that you create a double boiler. (You must do this to avoid burning the chocolate).
  
• Place all ingredients in the smaller saucepan and stir constantly until it melts into a loose, glossy sauce. (If you prefer a looser, runnier sauce, add more half and half).
  
• Remove from heat, drizzle, pour or flood it over a bowl full of vanilla bean ice cream, and serve immediately (it goes perfectly with a strong black espresso).
  

Leftover sauce can be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours. To reheat, simply place back into a double-boiler. Remember, however, that the sauce can only be reheated one time.

There are few people who would disagree that one of life's simplest, most beautiful pleasures is a slow, lazy Sunday morning. One spent with a rich, dark coffee and the Sunday Times, preferably outside on the patio in the warm spring sun...

 

This morning I made a favorite sweet treat, my highly simplified version of sopapillas. I know they're probably not technically "true" sopapillas, but I started making these a few years ago as a last minute dessert and  have found them to be a great alternative to crepes, pancakes or waffles for breakfast. I love the fact that they're quick and effortless to prepare, so the decadently easy pace of the morning isn't interrupted with the assembling and juggling of myriad ingredients. In fact, you need only four items: flour tortillas (I love using spelt tortillas), canola oil (or some other vegetable oil - olive oil works too but changes the flavor), honey and ground cinnamon. That's it!

Just take a frying pan or saute pan and pour about 1/8 of an inch of oil into it (you need enough to "float" the tortilla on top, but not enough to drown it). Heat the oil until it just begins to bubble and spit, then drop one tortilla into it and fry it for a few seconds until it puffs up. Flip it over quickly and continue frying a few more seconds - the puffs will sink when you flip it then rise again. When the tortilla is mostly golden and it seems to be staying puffed, remove it from the pan with a spatula and place it on a plate. (I usually take a paper towel and blot up any extraneous oil at this point).

Pour as much honey as you want on top along with a light sprinkling of powdered cinnamon, then serve almost immediately, while the warmed honey winds and pools deliciously between the tortillas golden puffs and crenellations. To be truly decadent, follow Frontera Grill's example and add brown sugar, cinnamon and orange peel to your coffee...or make the most of the sweet and savory contrast with a deep black espresso, straight up.