Description
Elegant and decadent Gold-Dusted Chocolate Profiteroles featuring light choux pastry filled with rich chocolate pastry cream, topped with glossy dark chocolate ganache, and finished with luxurious edible gold decoration. Perfect for impressing guests or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Choux Pastry
- ½ cup (120ml) water
- ½ cup (120ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs (room temperature)
For the Chocolate Pastry Cream Filling
- 2 cups (480ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (30g) cornstarch
- ¼ tsp salt
- 4 large egg yolks
- 4 oz (115g) semi-sweet or dark chocolate, chopped
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Ganache Topping
- 6 oz (170g) dark chocolate (60–70% cocoa), chopped
- ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
For Decoration
- Edible gold leaf or edible gold dust (optional)
Instructions
- Make the Choux Pastry: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium saucepan, combine water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat until the butter melts completely and the mixture just begins to bubble.
- Add the Flour: Remove the pan from heat and add all the flour at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Return the pan to medium heat and stir continuously for 1 to 2 minutes to slightly dry out the dough.
- Cool and Beat in Eggs: Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl and let it cool for 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly between each addition until the dough becomes smooth, glossy, and pipeable.
- Pipe and Bake: Using a piping bag or spoon, portion tablespoon-sized mounds onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the profiteroles are puffed and golden brown. Do not open the oven door during baking. Once done, turn off the oven and let the profiteroles rest inside for 5 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare the Chocolate Pastry Cream: In a medium saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat until steaming but not boiling. In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, salt, and egg yolks until smooth and pale.
- Temper and Cook: Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to temper the yolks. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking continuously, until it thickens and becomes smooth, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Finish the Filling: Remove from heat and immediately stir in the chopped chocolate, butter, and vanilla extract until fully melted and smooth. Transfer the cream to a bowl, press plastic wrap directly onto its surface to prevent a skin from forming, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours until cold and set.
- Fill the Profiteroles: Transfer the chilled chocolate pastry cream to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Make a small hole in the bottom of each choux puff and pipe in the pastry cream until each is filled. Place the filled profiteroles on a tray and set aside.
- Make the Ganache: Place chopped chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl. Heat heavy cream in a small saucepan until steaming, then pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for 2 minutes, then stir until smooth and glossy.
- Dip and Decorate: Dip the tops of each filled profiterole into the warm ganache, allowing any excess to drip off. Return them to the tray and decorate with a small pinch of edible gold dust or carefully apply edible gold leaf. Allow the ganache to set slightly before serving or refrigerating.
Notes
- Do not open the oven door while baking the choux pastry to prevent collapsing.
- Use room temperature eggs for better incorporation into the dough.
- Press plastic wrap directly on pastry cream to avoid forming a skin.
- Edible gold decoration is optional but adds an elegant touch.
- Make profiteroles a few hours in advance and refrigerate after filling and glazing.
