Frozen Profiteroles Recipe

Cream Puff Pastry (Pbte ` Choux)

1 cup flour
1 cup (about 5 large) eggs
1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 egg for egg wash
1 quart vanilla ice cream
1 recipe chocolate glaze (follows)

Fit a large pastry bag with a 1/2-inch round decorating tip. Lightly grease a large baking sheet and dust lightly with flour. Adjust rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees for at least 20 minutes before baking.

Sift the flour and set nearby. Whisk the 1 cup of eggs briefly just to combine the yolks and whites. Set nearby.

In a 1-1/2 quart saucepan, bring the milk, water, salt, and butter to a rolling boil over medium heat. Immediately remove from heat and stir to combine the ingredients. Add the flour all at once, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon, and scraping sides of pan, until a stiff paste forms and comes together in a ball. Return to medium heat, stirring quickly for about 10 seconds to eliminate extra moisture. Remove from the heat. The paste should be smooth, thick, and glossy. Transfer the thick paste to a large mixing bowl to cool for no more than 10 minutes.

Using an electric mixer or a wooden spoon, add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. After incorporating the eggs the batter should be smooth, glossy, and stiff yet fall slowly in a ribboning effect when dropped from the spoon.

Fill the pastry bag with the paste and pipe bite-size cream puffs about 1-inch in diameter onto the baking sheet. Space the cream puffs 1/2-inch apart to allow for expansion. (Form them larger, if you prefer.) In a small bowl, lightly beat an egg for the egg wash. With a pastry brush, glaze each cream puff with the egg wash. The brush helps shape each form smoothly.

Bake about 20 minutes or until they are golden brown and the sides are rigid enough so they will not collapse when removed from the oven. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place on a cooling rack. While warm, poke a small hole in the side of each puff. Return baking sheet to the oven for about 3 more minutes to allow the puffs' interiors to dry. Remove from oven to cooling rack. If not using right away, freeze in a sturdy container up to 1 week.

Cut off the top one-third of each puff using a small serrated knife. Set the tops nearby. Remove any soft, uncooked paste from inside. With a small ice cream scoop or spoon, fill the puffs with ice cream. Set a cream puff top on each. Place the filled puffs on a baking sheet in the freezer until firm. Dip the top of each filled cream puff into the chocolate glaze. Return them to the freezer on the baking sheet. When glaze is set, cover sheet loosely with aluminum foil until serving time.

Freeze up to 3 days.

Chocolate Glaze: In a saucepan over low heat, combine 2 tablespoons unsalted butter with 1/4 cup milk, stirring just until the butter melts. Off heat, stir in 2 cups sifted powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 2 ounces melted unsweetened chocolate. Blend until smooth.