Profiteroles Vanilla Ice Cream And Chocolate Sauce Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450°F.
• Line one baking sheet with a Silpat and a second one with parchment paper (or line both sheets with parchment if you don't have a Silpat). Set up a heavy-duty mixer with the paddle attachment.
• Combine the water, butter, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, add the flour all at once, and stir rapidly with a stiff heatproof or wooden spoon until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan and the bottom of the pan is clean, with no dough sticking to it. The dough should be glossy and smooth but still damp.
• Enough moisture must evaporate from the dough to allow it to absorb more fat when the eggs are added. Continue to stir for about 5 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent the dough from coloring. A thin coating will form on the bottom and sides of the pan. When enough moisture has evaporated, steam will rise from the dough and there will be the nutty aroma of cooked flour.
• Immediately transfer the dough to the mixer bowl and mix for a few seconds to release some of the heat from the dough. With the mixer on medium speed, add 4 eggs, one at a time, beating until each egg is completely incorporated before adding the next one; scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Turn off the machine. Lift some of the dough on a rubber spatula, then turn the spatula to let it run off: It should fall off the spatula very slowly; if it doesn't move at all or is very dry and falls off in one clump, beat in the additional egg.
• Place the dough in a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip. Pipe 15 disks (this will give you 3 extras for testing) about 1 1/2 inches across and just under 1/2 inch thick on the Silpat-lined baking sheet, leaving about 1 1/2 inches between them, as they will expand when baked. Pipe the remainder on the other sheet. (You will have about 4 dozen in all.) Bake the 15 puffs for the recipe and freeze the ones on the second baking sheet until firm, then transfer to a freezer container and freeze for another time.
• Bake the puffs for 10 minutes, turn the sheet around, turn the oven down to 350°F, and bake 15 minutes more. Remove one puff and break it open: It should be hollow inside and not gooey or eggy; if it is still moist, return it to the oven and check in 5 minutes. Cool the puffs completely on the baking sheet. Store in an airtight container until serving time.
• To serve:
• Preheat the oven to 300°F.
• Warm the chocolate sauce in a double boiler or a microwave. Warm the profiteroles on a baking sheet in the oven.
• Split each profiterole in half and arrange 3 on each plate. Place a small scoop of ice cream in the bottom half of each profiterole and top with the lid. Spoon the sauce over.

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:

• 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:

• Make profiteroles:
• Chill a small metal baking pan in freezer. Form 18 ice cream balls with scoop and freeze in chilled pan at least 1 hour (this will make serving faster).
• Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in middle. Butter a large baking sheet.
• Bring butter, water, and salt to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, stirring until butter is melted. Reduce heat to medium, then add flour all at once and cook, beating with a wooden spoon, until mixture pulls away from side of pan and forms a ball, about 30 seconds. Transfer mixture to a bowl and cool slightly, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well with an electric mixer after each addition.
• Transfer warm mixture to pastry bag and pipe 18 mounds (about 1 1/4 inches wide and 1 inch high) 1 inch apart on baking sheet.
• Bake until puffed and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes total. Prick each profiterole once with a skewer, then return to oven to dry, propping oven door slightly ajar, 3 minutes. Cool on sheet on a rack.
• Make chocolate sauce:
• Heat sugar in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring with a fork to heat sugar evenly, until it starts to melt, then stop stirring and cook, swirling pan occasionally so sugar melts evenly, until it is dark amber.
• Remove from heat, then add cream and a pinch of salt (mixture will bubble and steam). Return to heat and cook, stirring, until caramel has dissolved.
• Remove from heat and add chocolate, whisking until melted, then whisk in vanilla and Cognac (if using). Keep warm, covered.
• Serve profiteroles:
• Halve profiteroles horizontally, then fill each with a ball of ice cream. Put 3 profiteroles on each plate and drizzle generously with warm chocolate sauce.

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.