French Profiteroles with Hot Chocolate Sauce

Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C for fan-assisted ovens). In a medium saucepan, bring 250 ml of water, 100 g of unsalted butter, 0.5 tsp of salt, and 1 tsp of granulated sugar to a boil. Once the butter has melted and the mixture is boiling, remove from heat and add 150 g of all-purpose flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together in a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Return to low heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, to dry out the dough.

Remove the dough from the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes. Then, add the 4 large eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition until fully incorporated. The dough may look lumpy at first, but continue mixing until it becomes shiny and smooth. The final dough should be thick but still pipeable.

Transfer the dough to a piping bag and pipe walnut-sized mounds onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving enough space between them. Bake at 200°C for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 180°C (160°C for fan-assisted ovens) and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Turn off the oven and leave the profiteroles inside for 5-10 minutes with the door slightly ajar to dry them out and prevent them from collapsing. Remove and let cool completely on a wire rack.

While the profiteroles cool, whip 500 ml of cold heavy cream with 2 tbsp of powdered sugar and 1 tsp of vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. In a small saucepan or microwave, melt 200 g of dark chocolate with 150 ml of heavy cream and 30 g of unsalted butter, stirring constantly until you have a smooth and glossy sauce. Keep warm.

Cut the cooled profiteroles in half or make a small hole in their base, then fill them with the whipped cream. Pile the filled profiteroles onto a serving dish and generously drizzle with the warm chocolate sauce just before serving. Enjoy immediately!