Profiteroles ...

Profiteroles... and Strawberries. My mum used to make these for us when we were younger. They always went down a treat. I wanted to try to make these too, this was my first attempt and I was pretty pleased with the result. My friends always asks when I will be making these again. ^^ ...

Recipe below.. if you want to make some too.

Profiteroles

Ingredients

For the choux pastry:
200ml/7fl oz cold water
½ tsp caster sugar
85g/3oz unsalted butter
pinch salt
115g/4oz plain flour
4 medium eggs, beaten

For the cream filling:
600ml/1pint double cream
1 tbsp/15g icing sugar

For the chocolate sauce:
15g/½oz butter
4tbsp/60ml water
175g/6oz good quality plain chocolate, broken into pieces

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
2. To make the choux pastry, place the butter, water and sugar into a large saucepan.
3. Place over a low heat to melt the butter. Then turn up the heat and add the flour and salt.
4. Remove from the heat and quickly beat the mixture until it resembles a smooth paste. Keep stirring to dry out the paste.
5. Once the paste curls away from the side of the pan, transfer the mixture into a large bowl and leave to cool for 10-15 minutes.
6. Beat in the eggs, a bit at a time. You may not need to add all of the egg, so its key to add a bit at a time.
7. Continue doing this until the mixture becomes smooth and glossy and in a dropping consistency.
8. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper or alternatively grease the baking tray. Spoon a teaspoon at a time of the profiterole mixture.
9. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown, if too pale they will become soggy when cool.
10. Remove from the oven and prick the base of each profiterole with a fork. Place onto the baking tray with the hole facing upwards and return to the oven for an extra 5 minutes.
11. To make the filling, whip the cream and icing sugar until soft peaks form. Fill a piping bag, and pipe into the holes of the cooled profiteroles.
12. To make the chocolate sauce: melt the chocolate with the water and butter in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Do not overheat or the chocolate will loose its gloss and become paste like.
13. Let the chocolate sauce cool for 10 mins before pouring over the filled profiteroles.
14. Ready to serve, remainders can be stored in the fridge and eaten within 24 hours.