• Oh, how French of you? We cannot get enough of these sweet profiteroles with crème pâtissière dessert.

    Sweet profiteroles with crème pâtissière

    Serves: 18 – 24
    Cooking Time: 1 hr 20 mins + extra to chill

    Ingredients

    • 250ml (1 cup) water or milk
    • 30ml (2 tbsp) sugar
    • 80g butter, at room temperature, chopped
    • 150g (1 cup) plain flour, sifted
    • 3 eggs, at room temperature, lightly whisked
    • Crème Pâtissière

    • 435ml milk
    • 1 vanilla pod, split lengthways,seeds separated
    • 3 egg yolks
    • 70g ( cup) castor sugar
    • 50g ( cup) plain flour, sifted

    Instructions

    1

    For the profiteroles, place the water or milk, sugar and butter in a saucepan (omit the sugar for savoury profiteroles). Bring just to a boil. Remove from heat and add all the flour at once, using a wooden spoon to beat in the flour until well combined.

    2

    Beat until the mixture forms a ball and comes away from the side of the pan. Set aside to cool.

    3

    Gradually add the eggs, 15ml (1 tbsp) at a time, beating well after each addition, until the dough is thick and glossy. (For savoury profiteroles, add the finely chopped herbs at this stage.)

    4

    Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line 2 baking trays with a silicon baking mat or non-stick paper. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag with a flat-nosed nozzle. Pipe evenly, about 3cm apart, onto the lined trays.

    5

     Use a wet finger to pat down any peaks of dough. Bake for 20 – 30 minutes or until puffed, crispy and golden brown (time dependent on sizes). Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

    6

    For the crème pâtissière, warm the milk and vanilla seeds in a saucepan. Whisk the yolks and sugar in a bowl until thick. Whisk in the flour, then the milk mixture. Return to the pan and cook, whisking, over low heat until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Cover the surface with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill.

    7

    Spoon the crème pâtissière into a piping bag fitted with a 5mm nozzle. Push the nozzle into the base of each profiterole and fill with the crème pâtissière