Coffee profiteroles

Ingredients

• 200 gplain flour
• 100 gbutter
• 260 mlwater
• 35 gsugar
• 5eggs
• 1 level teaspoonsalt
• 650 mldouble cream, for the filling
• 2½ tablespoonsicing sugar, for the filling
• a pinchvanilla
• 700 mldouble cream, for the coffee topping
• 1 heaped tablespoonvanilla sugar
• 2–3 tablespoonsicing sugar, for the coffee topping
• 2 tablespoonsinstant coffee
• as neededmilk
• 100 gwhite chocolate flakes

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the choux base

   Put the water and butter in a saucepan and melt the butter over a low heat. Add the sugar and salt, then bring the mixture to the boil.

2. 2

   Cook the flour

   As soon as the mixture boils, take the pan off the heat and add all the flour at once. Stir with a wooden spatula, then return the pan to the heat and cook for 5–8 minutes, stirring carefully so the mixture does not stick.

3. 3

   Add the eggs

   When the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan, remove it from the heat. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing each in fully before adding the next.

4. 4

   Check the dough

   If the eggs have not brought the mixture together, beat another egg in a small dish and add it as needed. Mix with an electric beater until the dough is thick and smooth.

5. 5

   Shape the buns

   Line a baking tray with baking paper. Use a spoon to make evenly sized mounds of dough, 2–3 cm across, leaving plenty of space between them.

6. 6

   Bake the choux

   Bake in an oven preheated to 200°C until the buns are well risen, after about 20 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the buns to cool without opening the door.

7. 7

   Whip the filling

   Whip the cold cream with the icing sugar and a pinch of vanilla until it is whipped.

8. 8

   Fill the buns

   Transfer the sweetened cream to a piping bag. Make a small hole in the base of each bun and pipe in the filling.

9. 9

   Make coffee cream

   Whip the very cold cream with the vanilla sugar and 2–3 tablespoons of icing sugar. Dissolve the instant coffee in enough milk to make a smooth paste, then fold it gently into the whipped cream from the bottom upwards.

10. 10

    Build the pyramid

    Dip the buns one at a time into the coffee cream, coating all sides with the help of a wooden skewer. Arrange them in layers on a serving plate to form a pyramid.

11. 11

    Finish and decorate

    Spoon some coffee cream between the layers so there are no gaps. Pour the remaining cream over the top and decorate with white chocolate flakes.

What are profiteroles?

Profiteroles are small choux pastry buns, a classic French dessert that is also popular in Italy. This version pairs a cream-filled centre with a coffee-flavoured coating and white chocolate.

The contrast is what makes them appealing: light pastry gives way to soft cream, while the coffee adds a deeper flavour. Stacking the buns into a pyramid makes the dessert especially suited to sharing.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 920 calories, 12g protein, 42g carbs, 134g fat.

The flour and sugar provide most of the carbohydrate, while the cream, butter and white chocolate account for much of the fat. Eggs contribute some protein, though the dessert is primarily rich in cream. Balance a smaller serving with fresh fruit, or serve it after a meal with a lighter main course.

The choux pastry

Flour timing: adding all the flour at once to the boiling water and butter helps it form a cohesive dough. Cook it over the heat, stirring, until it pulls away from the pan sides.

Eggs: incorporate them one at a time so they blend into the dough evenly. The method allows for another beaten egg only if needed to bring the mixture together.

Shaping and baking

Even portions: make the dough mounds about 2–3 cm across and space them well apart on the lined tray. Similar-sized buns are more likely to bake at the same rate.

Oven: bake at 200°C for about 20 minutes, until the buns are well risen. The recipe then calls for the oven to be turned off and the buns left to cool inside without opening the door.

Whipping the creams

Filling cream: the recipe specifies cold cream, icing sugar and a pinch of vanilla. Whip it for piping, then fill each bun through a small hole in its base.

Coffee coating: dissolve the instant coffee in only enough milk to make a paste, then fold it into the whipped cream gently. Folding from the bottom upwards helps combine the flavours without stirring vigorously.

Dipping and stacking

Coating: turn each bun in the coffee cream so all its sides are covered. A wooden skewer helps handle the buns without squeezing them.

Assembly: arrange the coated buns in layers, building a pyramid. Spoon cream between the layers as you go, then pour the remainder over the top.

Serving ideas

Serve the profiteroles chilled or cool, on their own as the centrepiece of a dessert course. Their creamy topping and white chocolate flakes provide plenty of richness.

For a lighter-feeling plate, serve a smaller portion alongside fresh berries. A cup of coffee is a natural match for the coffee-flavoured coating.

Recipe notes & tips

• Use cold cream for both the filling and the coffee coating.
• Add the eggs gradually and wait for each one to blend in before adding another.
• Keep the choux mounds evenly sized and well spaced on the tray.
• Make the coffee paste with just enough milk to dissolve the instant coffee.
• Use a gentle folding motion when combining the coffee paste with the whipped cream.
• Dip and stack the buns over the serving plate so excess coating can fall back onto the dessert.

Variations

• Stronger coffee: use a little less milk in the coffee paste for a more pronounced coffee flavour.
• Dark chocolate: replace the white chocolate flakes with dark chocolate flakes.
• Cocoa finish: dust the assembled pyramid lightly with cocoa powder instead of using chocolate flakes.
• Vanilla filling: add a little more vanilla to the filling cream for a fuller vanilla note.
• Individual servings: arrange the coated buns in small portions rather than one large pyramid.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Adding eggs too quickly: mix each one in completely before adding the next.
• Dough sticking to the pan: stir carefully while cooking it for 5–8 minutes.
• Uneven buns: make the dough mounds a consistent 2–3 cm across.
• Opening the oven: leave the door shut while the buns cool in the switched-off oven, as directed.
• Watery coffee paste: use only enough milk to dissolve the coffee into a paste.
• Gaps in the pyramid: spoon some coffee cream between the layers as you build them.

How to store

Keep the assembled profiteroles covered in the fridge and eat within 1–2 days; the filled choux will soften as it sits. Serve cold or cool rather than reheating, which can loosen the cream.

Frequently asked questions