Recipes 5 min read
Classic French Profiteroles Recipe: Cream-Filled Choux Pastry Dessert
Profiteroles are one of the simplest yet most impressive desserts you can make. Prepare the choux (cream puff) dough in advance, pipe or scoop it onto a lined baking sheet, then freeze. Once frozen, transfer the dough pucks to a resealable bag and keep them on hand to bake later — convenient and impressive.
Profiteroles vs. cream puffs
Are profiteroles the same as cream puffs? Yes — but with a tasty distinction. A cream puff is a baked shell of choux pastry. A profiterole is a cream puff that has been split, filled with ice cream, and topped with a warm sauce such as hot fudge or caramel. In short: a warm, hollow puff filled with cold ice cream and finished with sauce. Delicious.
Making cream puffs
Cream puffs are made from pâte à choux, a light, airy dough that puffs up in the oven. I recommend using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle or batter blade — you can do it by hand, but the mixer saves effort. After the dough is mixed, you must portion it immediately. If you don’t want to bake right away, pipe or scoop the rounds onto a sheet pan and freeze them for later baking.
Shaping is simple: pipe rounds with a pastry bag and a plain tip, or use two spoons to portion dollops of dough. If peaks form when piping, you can tap them down or leave them for a rustic look.
What to fill cream puffs with
Cream puffs are versatile and can be filled with sweet or savory fillings. Popular sweet options include whipped cream, pastry cream, or ice cream for profiteroles. Savory fillings can include chicken salad, egg salad, or tuna salad for bite-sized hors d’oeuvres. For profiteroles specifically, choose your favorite ice cream flavor and finish with a warm sauce.
What are profiteroles?
Profiteroles are simply cream puffs split in half and filled with ice cream, then drizzled with warm sauce. Use any ice cream you like — vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, mint chip, or homemade flavors — and top with a warm hot fudge or caramel sauce. The contrast of warm pastry, cold ice cream, and rich sauce is part of the charm.
Can you freeze cream puffs?
Yes — and the best results come from freezing the dough before baking. Pipe or scoop the shaped dough onto a sheet pan and freeze until solid. Transfer the frozen rounds to a resealable bag and store for up to three months. When you want fresh cream puffs or profiteroles, bake directly from frozen: place the frozen puffs on a lined baking sheet and add about five minutes to the total baking time.
Baking from frozen delivers freshly puffed shells on demand, perfect for filling with ice cream and topping with warm sauce for immediate profiteroles.
How to store cream puffs
If you bake the puffs ahead of time, allow them to cool completely, then store them wrapped individually in a zipper-top bag and freeze for longer storage. For short-term storage, place cooled puffs loosely in a paper bag with the top rolled down to help retain crispness for a few hours. Freshly baked puffs are best served the same day, but freezing baked puffs works when needed.
Tools that make cream puffs easier
- Stand mixer
- Half sheet pan
- Parchment paper
- 2-quart saucepan
- Sturdy spatula or wooden spoon
Ice cream options for profiteroles
Almost any ice cream works — from classic vanilla or chocolate to fruit or custard-based flavors. Choose whatever you and your guests enjoy. A scoop of high-quality ice cream inside a warm puff, finished with a drizzle of hot fudge or caramel, makes for an effortless and memorable dessert.
Profiteroles
To Make the Cream Puffs:
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet or two with parchment or a silicone mat.
In a heavy-bottomed 2-quart saucepan, bring water, butter, and salt to a rapid boil. Remove from heat and add all the flour at once, stirring vigorously until the flour is fully hydrated. Return the pan to medium-high heat and stir until a thin film forms on the pan bottom and the dough pulls into a smooth ball.
Transfer the dough to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle (or a heatproof bowl if mixing by hand). Let the dough rest for 10 minutes, then add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. After the last egg, beat on high for 2–4 minutes until the dough is smooth and slightly shiny.
Immediately portion the dough into 16 rounds using a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip or two spoons. Pipe circles, tapering slightly at the top, or spoon out mounds. Optionally tap down any peaks. At this point you can either freeze the unbaked puffs on the sheet pan and transfer them to a zipper bag for up to 3 months, or bake them right away.
To Bake the Cream Puffs:
(If baking from frozen, add 5 minutes to the final baking time.) Place the sheet pan in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes without opening the oven door. After 15 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and bake for another 15 minutes. When finished, turn off the oven and prop the door open slightly with a wooden spoon handle and let the puffs cool in the oven for 30 minutes to dry out and set. Remove and serve immediately or cool to room temperature.
To Make Profiteroles:
Split a cream puff horizontally like a muffin. Place the bottom on a plate, add a generous scoop of ice cream, replace the top, and drizzle with warm hot fudge or caramel. Serve immediately so the contrast between warm pastry and cold ice cream is at its best.
This post was originally published April 2012 and updated in later years with improved notes, photos, and video.
