Chocolate Espresso Profiteroles Draft

Name: Chocolate Espresso Profiteroles
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 25 profiteroles
Ingredients: 1 cup brewed espresso (or 1½ tsp instant espresso dissolved in 1 cup hot water); ¼ tsp salt; 7 tbsp butter, softened and cubed; 1 cup all-purpose flour (140 g); 4 large eggs, at room temperature; good espresso, mocha or coffee ice cream; 13 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped; 1 cup heavy cream (1 container); 1 tsp coffee liqueur (such as Kahlúa)

Espresso choux puffs filled with coffee ice cream and served under warm chocolate sauce, a dessert I put together right before serving.

Cook25 min
Total25 min
Makes25 profiteroles
KashrutDairy

What you need

Amount:25

Choux pastry

1 cup brewed espresso, or 1½ tsp instant espresso dissolved in 1 cup hot water
¼ tsp salt
7 tbsp butter, softened and cubed
1 cup all-purpose flour, 140 g
4 large eggs, at room temperature

Filling

good espresso, mocha or coffee ice cream

Chocolate sauce

13 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup heavy cream, 1 container
1 tsp coffee liqueur (such as Kahlúa)

How I make it

Choux pastry

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
In a heavy saucepan, heat the espresso with the salt and butter over medium heat, stirring now and then, until the butter melts.
When it comes to a boil, take the pan off the heat and add all the flour at once, stirring hard with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth and pulls away from the sides.
Return to medium-low heat and stir constantly for about 1 minute to dry it out, until the dough comes away from the sides and bottom and a thin whitish film forms on the bottom of the pan.
Transfer to a large bowl and let cool for about 30 seconds.
Add 3 of the eggs one at a time, beating well with the wooden spoon (or a hand mixer) after each, just until the egg is absorbed and the dough is completely smooth.
Beat the fourth egg with a fork in a small bowl and add it gradually, only as needed, until the dough is glossy, soft and supple and holds its shape when lifted on the spoon.

Piping and baking

Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a ⅜-inch (1 cm) plain tip.
Pipe a dab of dough under each corner of the parchment on the baking sheet and press the paper down so it stays put.
Pipe tall mounds 1½-2 inches (4-5 cm) across, about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
Bake for 25 minutes, until puffed, crisp and golden.
Let them cool in the turned-off oven with the door slightly open until completely dry.
When completely cool, take them out and cut in half crosswise with a serrated knife.

Chocolate sauce

Put the chocolate, cream and liqueur in a medium heavy saucepan.
Warm gently over very low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the chocolate melts and the sauce is smooth.

Assembling

Just before serving, rewarm the sauce over low heat, stirring.
Fill each bottom half with a scoop of ice cream and cover with its top.
Set 2-3 profiteroles on each plate, pour warm chocolate sauce over them and serve right away.

What I've learned

The dough looks like it's breaking apart when each egg goes in, then comes back together.
I don't always need the whole fourth egg. I add it only until the dough is glossy and holds its shape.

Source: ChefEf (chefef.com)