Profiterolis

Classic French choux pastry puffs that bake up light, hollow, and golden, ready to be filled with whatever your heart desires. Just four everyday ingredients and a bit of technique are all you need.

Choux pastry works differently from other doughs. The flour gets cooked in boiling water and butter on the stovetop first, which gelatinizes the starch and creates a smooth, sticky paste. Eggs go in one at a time off the heat, and each one loosens the dough a little more while adding the protein that creates structure during baking. The steam from all that water is what puffs them up into airy, hollow shells.

The two-temperature bake is key. The higher heat puffs the pastry and sets the exterior, then the lower temperature dries out the interior so they stay crisp instead of collapsing when they cool.

Pro Tips

• Add the flour all at once and stir hard. Dumping it in gradually creates lumps that won’t cook out.
• Let the dough cool before adding eggs. Hot dough scrambles them on contact.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each. The dough will look broken and slimy after each addition, then suddenly come together smooth.
• Don’t open the oven door during the first 20 minutes. The sudden temperature drop deflates the puffs before they’ve set.

Variations

• Fill with whipped cream and drizzle with chocolate sauce for classic profiteroles.
• Stuff with vanilla ice cream for a frozen dessert version.
• Fill with savory mixtures like herbed cream cheese or chicken salad for appetizer puffs.