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The dessert, French classic

Profiteroles with hot chocolate sauce

Profiteroles with hot chocolate sauce are choux buns filled with vanilla ice cream and topped with a glossy chocolate sauce poured at the table, serving 6. Active work is 55 minutes, and the choux pastry is made the day before, leaving only the sauce to finish just before guests arrive. It's a medium difficulty dessert at about €2.10 per person, and the trick is pouring the hot sauce over the ice cream while it's still frozen solid.

Little choux buns filled with vanilla ice cream, and the hot chocolate sauce poured right at the table, it always gets the same happy reaction.

Profiteroles with hot chocolate sauce
For
6 people
Work
55 min
Total time
2 h 30
Prep
Prepared the day before
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€2.10
Calories per person
560 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

Under the crisp, lightly golden shell, each choux bun hides a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream, and that clash of hot and cold is really the point of this dessert. The glossy dark chocolate sauce melts the ice cream right in front of your guests, while toasted almonds add a bit of crunch. It's a generous dessert that works just as well for kids as it does for adults.

This is the dessert for a dinner party or family meal when you want to impress without disappearing into the kitchen right before dessert. Since the choux pastry and the filled buns are made ahead, all that's left is the sauce and plating once guests are seated. It works year round, light enough after a summer meal and festive enough for a winter holiday table.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before 2 steps, 55 min
  2. The same day 1 step, 20 min
  3. Before the guests arrive 1 step
  4. When it's time to serve 1 step

The day before, make and bake the choux buns, let them cool, then store them in an airtight container. The same day, fill the buns with ice cream and put them back in the freezer on a tray. Just before guests arrive, make the chocolate sauce and keep it warm in a double boiler, then plate and pour the sauce right when you serve.

The ingredients

6 people

Pantry

  • Wateroften in the pantry 12.5 cl
  • Flouroften in the pantry 140 g
  • Sugaroften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Dark chocolate 250 g
  • Sliced almonds 30 g
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Whole milk 12.5 cl
  • Butter 100 g
  • Eggs 4
  • Heavy cream 20 cl
  • Milk for the sauce 10 cl

Frozen foods

  • Vanilla ice cream 1 l

Allergens Gluten, Lactose, Eggs, Tree nuts

The recipe, moment by moment

The day beforeWhat's better after resting overnight in the fridge.

  1. Bring the water, milk, butter, sugar and salt to a boil, add all the flour at once, dry out the dough, then beat in the eggs one at a time until the batter forms a shiny ribbon. 25 min

    If the dough feels too stiff, add half a beaten egg, it should form a V shape when it falls off the spatula.

  2. Pipe twenty four small mounds of dough onto a baking sheet, bake at 180 °C without opening the oven, then let them dry out in the turned off oven and store in an airtight box. 30 min

    Flatten the peak of each mound with a damp finger for neat, even buns.

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Cut the top off each bun, fill with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, replace the top, and put them back on a tray in the freezer. 20 min

    Let the ice cream sit out for ten minutes first, it scoops cleanly without crushing the buns.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Melt the chocolate with the cream and milk over low heat, stir until smooth and glossy, and keep warm in a double boiler.

    Never let the sauce boil, it would turn grainy and lose its shine.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Plate four filled buns per person, scatter with toasted almonds, and bring the hot sauce to the table in a sauce boat.

    Pour the sauce in front of your guests, half the pleasure is watching it happen.

Our tips to get it right

  • Weigh out the choux pastry ingredients precisely, this is a recipe where too much liquid keeps the buns from puffing up properly.
  • Keep a tray of filled, frozen choux buns on hand, they hold well for several days and save you when you need a last minute dessert.
  • If you make the chocolate sauce a bit ahead, warm it gently in a double boiler, it should never go back over direct heat once it's made.

The variations

  • Swap the vanilla ice cream for coffee or salted caramel ice cream depending on the season.
  • For a quicker version, buy ready made choux buns from a good bakery and spend your time on the sauce and plating instead.
  • For kids, scatter colorful sugar sprinkles over the chocolate sauce right before serving, they always love that touch.

What to serve it with

  • A strong espresso to finish
  • Fresh fruit on the side
  • A glass of Sauternes or sweet wine

Storage

The filled, frozen choux buns keep for several days in the freezer on a tray once wrapped well. The chocolate sauce keeps for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container and reheats gently in a double boiler. Never refreeze buns that have already softened.

Questions about this recipe

Can you pipe the choux without a pastry bag?

Yes, two spoons work fine to form small, even mounds on the tray. The shape will be a bit less neat but the baking time stays the same.

How do you keep the choux buns from deflating after baking?

Never open the oven door while they bake, the escaping steam makes the dough collapse. Also let the buns dry out in the turned off oven before taking them out.

Can you use milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate?

Yes, but the sauce will be sweeter and less intense, cut back slightly on the cream to keep the right texture.

How many choux buns should you plan per person?

The recipe makes twenty four small buns for 6 people, four per plate. That's a generous portion for an end of meal dessert.

Can profiteroles with hot chocolate sauce be made ahead?

Yes, it's even recommended. The recipe needs 55 min of work in total, split up like this, the day before, 2 steps, the same day, 1 step, before the guests arrive, 1 step, when it's time to serve, 1 step.

How long does it take to make profiteroles with hot chocolate sauce?

Allow 2 h 30 in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 55 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "medium".

How many calories are in profiteroles with hot chocolate sauce?

About 560 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does profiteroles with hot chocolate sauce cost?

About €2.10 per person, that's €12.60 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose, eggs, tree nuts. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

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