Profiteroles With Ice Cream And Caramel Sauce Recipes

ICED VANILLA & CARAMEL PROFITEROLES

Steps:

• Put 150ml water, the butter and a pinch of salt into a medium pan and gently heat until the butter melts. Turn up the heat and bring to the boil. As soon as it's boiling, tip in the flour in one go. Beat quickly to combine. TIP: It's important to tip the flour in as soon as the water boils, because losing too much liquid by evaporation will affect your pastry.
• The starch in the flour needs to be cooked out now. Beat well, over the heat, until the mix turns smooth and glossy and starts to come away from the edge of the pan. Tip the mix into a bowl and allow to cool a little.
• Give the mixture a quick beat, then start adding the eggs a little at a time, using a whisk, wooden spoon or electric beaters. You may not need to add all the egg - stop once the pastry is smooth and elastic and drops easily off a spoon.
• Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Drop a medium nozzle into a large piping bag and scoop the pastry into it. Line two baking sheets with non-stick paper and pipe 15 x 10p-size balls of pastry onto each one. Use a wetted finger to smooth the tops. Bake for 15-20 mins until dark golden and very firm. Transfer to a rack, turn each one upside down, then leave to cool. Will keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days. TIP: The just-piped pastry buns have pointy tops, which can quickly burn. Tap them down gently with a wet finger before you put them in to bake.
• For the sauce, heat the sugar in a large, non-stick frying pan. Melt it gently, swirling every now and again until dissolved. Turn up the heat a little, then bubble until you have a dark golden caramel, about 5 minutes in total. Keep the pan on the heat and carefully stir in the cream to make a silky sauce. Add the Cognac and stir again. Pour into a serving jug. Can be made up to 2 days ahead - warm in the microwave for a few secs and stir to loosen.
• If making your own ice cream, place the milk and double cream in a pan. Take 1 tbsp of the sugar and add to the pan, too. Whisk the remaining sugar with the egg yolks and the seeds of the vanilla pods. Heat the milk until just boiling, then pour it onto the egg mix, whisking constantly. Tip back into the pan and heat gently, stirring with a wooden spoon until the custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Pour through a sieve and allow to cool. Now churn the mix in an ice-cream machine, or freeze it in a shallow container, beating thoroughly at least three times, until it is frozen and smooth. Will keep frozen for up to 1 month. Makes about 500 ml, 5 mins prep, 20 mins cooking and freezing.
• Allow the ice cream to soften slightly in the fridge for 30 mins. Scoop into a piping bag then, holding the bag with a tea towel, poke the nozzle into the bottom of one of the buns. Pipe in the ice cream until completely filled (see tips). Work as quickly as you can - you need to get the profiteroles back in the freezer before the ice cream starts to melt. Will keep well-wrapped in the freezer for up to 1 week. NOTE: Wrapping a tea towel around the piping bag insulates the ice cream from the warmth of your hands. If piping in the ice cream seems too fiddly, simply cut the buns open with a serrated knife and fill with teaspoon-size scoops of ice cream.

PROFITEROLES WITH VANILLA ICE CREAM AND CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• With a rubber spatula, scoop the pate a choux into the pastry bag and pipe out approximately 16 (1 1/2-inch rounds) spaced 1 to 2 inches apart on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Brush lightly with the beaten egg and place in the oven. Cook until golden and puffed, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a baking rack.
• Split the profiteroles nearly in half, leaving a little hinge at the back, and cradle a small scoop of vanilla ice cream inside each. Divide the profiteroles between bowls and pour over some chocolate sauce. Serve cold.
• In a small saucepan over high heat, bring the water, salt, sugar, and butter to a boil, making sure the butter is completely melted. Off the heat, add the flour all at once and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon. Return to the heat and continue beating until the dough forms a solid, smooth mass and pulls away from the sides of the saucepan. Take off the heat and empty the dough into a clean mixing bowl. Little by little add the beaten eggs, beating vigorously in between each addition, until the dough forms a smooth, supple mass. Divide the dough into 2 even quantities, 1 part to be used for the profiteroles, the other for gougeres.

CHOCOLATE PROFITEROLES WITH COFFEE ICE CREAM AND BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Steps:

• Make the profiteroles:
• Into a bowl sift together the flour and the cocoa powder. In a small heavy saucepan combine the butter, the water, the granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring until the butter is melted. Reduce the heat to moderate, add the flour mixture, and cook the mixture, beating it with a wooden spoon, until it pulls away from the side of the pan, forming a ball. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and with an electric mixer at high speed beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Drop the mixture by rounded tablespoons onto a buttered baking sheet, forming 12 mounds, baking the profiteroles in the middle of a preheated 400°F. oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they are puffed and crisp, and let them cool on a rack. The profiteroles may be made 1 day in advance and kept in an airtight container. Reheat the profiteroles on a baking sheet in a preheated 375°F. oven for 5 minutes, or until they are crisp, and let them cool on the rack.
• Make the chocolate sauce:
• In a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water melt the chocolate with the water and the cream, stirring until the mixture is smooth, and stir in the kahlûa. The sauce may be made 1 week in advance, kept covered and chilled, and reheated. Makes about 1 cup.
• With a serrated knife cut each profiterole in half crosswise, discard any uncooked dough from the centers, and sandwich a small scoop (about 1 1/2 inch in diameter) of the ice cream between the top and bottom of each profiterole. Sprinkle the profiteroles with the confectioners' sugar, pour about 1/4 cup of the sauce onto each of 4 dessert plates, and arrange 3 profiteroles on each plate.

FAUX PROFITEROLES WITH WARM CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Place croissants on a baking sheet; bake at 350° for 5 minutes or until warmed., In a small saucepan, combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to medium-high. Cook without stirring until mixture turns an amber color and a candy thermometer reads 330°. Remove from the heat; gradually stir in cream and butter until smooth., Split croissants horizontally. Place a scoop of ice cream on the bottom half of each croissant; replace tops. Drizzle each with 2 tablespoons caramel sauce (save remaining sauce for another use).

CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM PROFITEROLES

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.

PROFITEROLES WITH CHOCOLATE SAUCE AND ICE CREAM

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.

PROFITEROLES

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in the butter and salt until the butter has melted; remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the flour until no dry lumps remain; stir in the eggs, one at a time, adding the next egg only after the last one has been completely incorporated into the mixture. Drop the profiterole paste onto the prepared baking sheet in evenly spaced dollops.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the pastries have puffed up and turned golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the baking sheet and cool on a wire rack to room temperature.
• Beat 1 cup of heavy cream to soft peaks; stir in the confectioners' sugar and rosewater until the sugar has dissolved. Bring the remaining cup of heavy cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate until melted and smooth.
• To assemble, poke a hole into the bottom of each pastry and fill with the rose water cream. Place the filled profiteroles onto individual serving plates and top with the warm sauce. Leftover profiteroles may be stored sealed in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 5 days.