Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the water and butter. Heat over medium heat until the butter melts and the mixture comes to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the flour and salt all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 1-2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until the dough is smooth and glossy.
- Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe 1-inch (2.5 cm) rounds onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the profiteroles are puffed and golden brown. Do not open the oven door during baking. Let them cool completely on a wire rack.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk until smooth and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour a small amount of the hot milk mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly to temper the eggs.
- Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens and bubbles, about 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in the chopped dark chocolate and vanilla extract until smooth. Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface, and refrigerate until chilled.
- In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream over medium heat until it begins to simmer. Remove from heat and add the chopped semisweet chocolate. Let it sit for a minute, then stir until smooth.
- Once the profiteroles are cool, use a small knife to make a slit in the side of each one. Fill a piping bag with the chilled chocolate pastry cream and pipe it into each profiterole until filled.
- Dip the tops of the filled profiteroles into the chocolate glaze, allowing any excess to drip off. Place them on a serving platter and let the glaze set for a few minutes.
Notes
For a variation, try adding a hint of espresso powder to the chocolate pastry cream for a mocha flavor.
