Ice Cream Profiteroles

Olivier Desaintmartin

Caribou Café

Philadelphia, Pa.

Ice cream desserts are a popular choice as spring turns into summer. To take a simple scoop or sundae up a few notches, chef Olivier Desaintmartin stuffs the ice cream into baked choux pastry for a simple but impressive profiterole. The crowning touch is a housemade chocolate sauce.

Steps

1. For choux: In large, thick-bottomed saucepan, combine water milk mixture, butter, sugar and salt. Bring slowly to a boil. Remove from heat and add all the flour at once. With wooden spoon, beat the dough thoroughly.
2. Returnsaucepan to medium heat; beat dough for 1 minute or until it comes away from sides of pan and no longer sticks to the spoon. Transfer the dough to a warmed mixing bowl. Add a third of the beaten egg, beating the dough constantly with the spoon. When egg is incorporated, add half the remaining egg, still beating the dough. Beat in remaining egg and continue to beat until dough is smooth.
3. Preheat oven to 425 F. Butter and flour baking sheets.
4. Fill pastry bag with dough. Pipe 1½-inch rounds onto prepared baking sheets. Dust the choux lightly with confectioners' sugar so the shapes stay even after baking. Bake at 425 F  for 15 minutes; lower heat to 400 F and bake 15 minutes longer. This change in temperature will prevent the puffs from cracking open, but be sure to keep the oven door ajar with a spoon. Watch the baking to see that the puffs are slightly moist.
5. Meanwhile, prepare chocolate sauce: In top of double boiler, melt chocolate with butter, stirring constantly. Stir in cream and water; cook over simmering water until thickened. Keep warm.
6. When cooled down, cut each choux puff in half and fill bottom with a scoop of ice cream; position another half on top. Pour chocolate sauce on top before serving.

Photo courtesy of Caribou Café