Peppermint Profiteroles With Chocolate Sauce Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Make the profiteroles: Sift together flour, cocoa, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Bring milk, butter, and granulated sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, and immediately stir in flour mixture using a wooden spoon. Return saucepan to medium heat; cook, stirring constantly, until dough forms and flour lumps dissolve, about 2 1/2 minutes.
• Transfer dough to the bowl of a mixer, and beat on medium speed until slightly cooled, about 2 minutes. Beat in 2 eggs, 1 at a time. Test dough by touching it with your finger and lifting to form a string. If string does not form, the batter needs more egg. Lightly beat remaining egg, and add to dough, 1 teaspoon at a time, testing after each addition. Beat until batter is smooth and glossy, about 2 minutes more.
• Using a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip, pipe about twenty 1 1/2-inch rounds of batter onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing about 1 inch apart. Bake until puffed and cooked through, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the peppermint cream: Bring milk, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. While milk is heating, whisk together yolks and remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a medium bowl. Whisk in cornstarch, 1 tablespoon at a time, until combined. Once milk starts to boil, slowly pour it into yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Return entire mixture to saucepan; whisk. Cook over medium-high heat until thick, about 1 1/2 minutes. Immediately remove from heat, and strain through a fine sieve into a bowl. Stir in peppermint. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of cream, and refrigerate until cool, about 1 hour.
• Whisk peppermint cream until smooth. Whisk heavy cream in a medium bowl until medium-stiff peaks form. Working in 2 batches, fold whipped cream into peppermint cream.
• Make the chocolate sauce: Heat heavy cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until butter melts. Add sugars, whisking until dissolved. Whisk in cocoa and a pinch of salt. Strain chocolate sauce through a fine sieve into a bowl. Let stand until ready to use.
• Assemble the profiteroles: Slice profiteroles in half horizontally. Sandwich about 1 tablespoon peppermint cream between each. Pour warm chocolate sauce over profiteroles just before serving.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees. If using hazelnuts, place on a baking sheet and roast until quite dark, about 10 minutes. Let cool slightly, then use a clean kitchen towel to rub off skins, discarding the skins. Crush nuts coarsely with a rolling pin or meat mallet and set aside.
• To make the puffs, put 1 cup/240 milliliters water, the butter and the salt in a saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Add flour and stir with a wooden spoon until mixture comes together and forms a sticky ball. Lower heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring, for a minute or 2 more.
• Transfer dough to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Mix at medium speed to cool dough slightly, then increase speed and begin to add 4 eggs, 1 at a time. Make sure each egg is fully incorporated into dough before adding the next. When all eggs have been added, scrape down sides of bowl and beat again until dough is smooth and glossy.
• Line a pair of 12-by-18-inch baking sheets with parchment. Put dough in a pastry bag (or use two soup spoons) and form mounds that are 21/2 inches in diameter, 12 mounds per sheet, spaced evenly. Brush each mound with beaten egg, smoothing pointy tops with a finger. Bake for 10 minutes at 425 degrees, then reduce heat to 375 degrees and continue baking until puffs are well browned and crisp, about 25 minutes more. Cool to room temperature. (If desired, puffs may be baked in advance, frozen and recrisped at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.)
• Put cream and sugar in a small mixing bowl and whip to a soft, light consistency.
• To assemble profiteroles, cut puffs in half horizontally. Place 2 tablespoons softly whipped cream on the bottom half of each puff, then a scoop of ice cream. Replace the tops. Transfer filled profiteroles to dessert plates or bowls, 2 per serving. Drizzle with warm chocolate sauce and sprinkle with reserved crushed hazelnuts, if using. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve immediately.

Steps:

• For the profiteroles: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup water, the butter and the salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, add the flour all at once and stir it vigorously with a wooden spoon. Cook until the mixture has formed a ball with a slightly sweaty sheen to it, and has pulled away from the pan. Transfer to a mixing bowl and let cool for 3 to 4 minutes; the mixture does not have to be cold, just cool enough not to cook the eggs when added. Using an electric mixer, or lots of good old-fashioned elbow grease, beat in the eggs one at a time; do not add the second egg until the first is fully incorporated. Add in the cinnamon and beat for another second to combine.
• Transfer the mixture to a pastry bag equipped with a large straight tip, and pipe 1-inch balls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Be sure to leave at least 1 inch between each of the balls¿they grow! When done, dip your finger in water and smooth the top of each ball where the pastry bag released the dough. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through to ensure even cooking. When done, the puffs should be light, airy and dry inside. Cool on a rack.
• For the chocolate sauce: Fill a saucepan with 1 inch of water and bring to a boil. Put the chocolate in a metal or heatproof glass mixing bowl and place on top of the saucepan with the boiling water. Pay careful attention that the mixing bowl does not touch the surface of the boiling water. Add the cream, butter, corn syrup and cinnamon and stir until the chocolate has melted and everything is combined. This is a pretty quick process. Once the chocolate has melted, remove it from the double boiler set-up.
• When ready to serve, cut the profiteroles in half horizontally and fill them with ice cream. Top with warm chocolate sauce.

Steps:

• Combine the cream and butter in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Heat the mixture until bubbles appear around the sides of the pot, but do not allow the cream to boil. Mix in the chocolate and vanilla; remove from the heat and stir until the chocolate melts and the sauce is smooth. May be served warm or chilled.;
• Profiteroles: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• To make the pate a choux: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the water, butter, sugar, and salt to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, stirring to melt the butter completely. Add all the flour and baking powder at once and continue to stir until all the flour is incorporated and the dough becomes a mass that pulls away from the sides of the pot. Remove from the heat and scrape the dough into a mixing bowl. Using a standing or hand-held mixer, beat the dough on medium speed to cool it off a bit. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically. When all eggs have been incorporated, the dough should be a thick, smooth, and glossy paste.
• Form 24 golf ball-size mounds on the lined baking sheet about 2-inches apart allowing room for them to spread; keep the mounds as high and round as possible. You can use a pastry bag fitted with a star tip or a large spoon, your choice. Place the pans in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F. and continue to cook for 25 minutes. Do not open the oven door or remove the pans from the oven until the puffs are firm to the touch. The profiteroles should be golden brown and well-risen. Allow the shells to cool before filling.
• Using a serrated knife, slice the pastry puffs almost in 1/2. Place 3 profiteroles on each dessert plate and fill with a scoop of ice cream. Drizzle the chocolate sauce over the top; garnish with powdered sugar and fresh mint if desired.

Steps:

• For Ice Cream: Place ice cream in large bowl. Fold in candies and peppermint extract. Cover and freeze until ice cream is firm, at least 4 hours. (Ice cream can be made 1 week ahead. Keep ice cream frozen.).
• For Cream Puff Pastry: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line heavy large baking sheet with parchment. Combine 3/4 cup water, butter, sugar and salt in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring until butter melts. Add flour and stir over medium heat until dough pulls away from sides of pan and forms ball, about 2 minutes. Cool 10 minutes.
• Using electric mixer, beat 3 eggs into dough 1 at a time. Transfer dough to pastry bag fitted with 1/2-inch plain tip. Pipe sixteen 1-1/2" mounds of dough onto sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart. Beat 1 egg in small bowl. Brush over dough mounds (do not drip egg onto sheet).
• Bake pastries 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake pastries until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Using skewer, pierce side of each pastry to allow steam to escape. Bake pastries 5 minutes longer; transfer to racks and cool completely. (Pastries can be made 1 week ahead. Enclosde pastries in resealable plastic bag; freeze. Thaw pastries before continuing.).
• For Chocolate Sauce:.
• Bring cream to a simmer in a heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate. Let stand until chocolate softenes, about 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm over low heat.).
• To assemble: Cut pastries crosswise in half. Place 1 scoop of ice cream onto bottom of each pastry. Cover with pastry tops. Spoon some warm chocolate sauce into 8 bowls. Place 2 profiteroles atop sauce in each bowl. Spoon sauce over profiteroles. Sprinkle with additional crushed peppermints and garnish with mint sprigs.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together egg with 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl for the egg wash. Set aside.
• Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Transfer Pate a Choux to a pastry bag fitted with a 5/8-inch plain tip. Pipe dough into 2-inch rounds about 1 inch apart. Gently smooth the pointed peaks with a moistened finger, rounding tops to ensure even rising. Brush tops with reserved egg wash. Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 25 minutes. The profiteroles should feel light and airy. Remove puffs from oven and transfer sheets to wire racks to cool completely.
• Make the chocolate sauce: Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of hot water to melt gently, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Put the milk, cream, and superfine sugar into a pan and bring to a boil, whisking continuously. Take off the heat. Still whisking, pour on the melted chocolate, then return to the heat. Still whisking, let the sauce bubble briefly over medium heat. Turn off the heat and whisk in the pieces of butter, one at a time. Pass the sauce through a fine chinois into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and keep warm in a bain-marie.
• Using a serrated knife, slice off the top third of each puff; set aside. Place a scoop of ice cream on the bottom of each puff; replace tops. Dust with confectioners' sugar and drizzle with chocolate sauce. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Make ice cream:
• Place ice cream in large bowl. Fold in candies and peppermint extract. Cover and freeze until ice cream is firm, at least 4 hours.
• Make cream puff pastry:
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Line heavy large baking sheet with parchment. Combine 3/4 cup water, butter, sugar and salt in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring until butter melts. Add flour and stir over medium heat until dough pulls away from sides of pan and forms ball, about 2 minutes. Cool 10 minutes.
• Using electric mixer, beat 3 eggs into dough 1 at a time. Transfer dough to pastry bag fitted with 1/2-inch plain tip. Pipe sixteen 1 1/2-inch mounds of dough onto sheet, spacing 2 inches apart. Beat 1 egg in small bowl. Brush over dough mounds (do not drip egg onto sheet).
• Bake pastries 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Bake pastries until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Using skewer, pierce side of each pastry to allow steam to escape. Bake pastries 5 minutes longer; transfer to racks and cool completely. (Ice cream and pastries can be made 1 week ahead. Keep ice cream frozen. Enclose pastries in resealable plastic bag; freeze. Thaw pastries before continuing.)
• Make chocolate sauce:
• Bring cream to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate. Let stand until chocolate softens, about 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm over low heat.)
• Cut pastries crosswise in half. Place 1 scoop ice cream into bottom of each pastry. Cover with pastry tops. Spoon some warm chocolate sauce into 8 bowls. Place 2 profiteroles atop sauce in each bowl. Spoon sauce over profiteroles. Sprinkle with additional crushed peppermints. Garnish with mint sprigs.