Profiteroles

Hot. I mean really, really hot. And I'm not talking about me, I mean the birds outside know that I'm hot, let alone the people.
I don't function well in the heat, I'm getting the strangest of ideas and sometimes I even bake. Scary thought at 42ºC (or 107.6 ºF if you will). The kitchen is kinda the hottest room in the house even before I turn on the oven, so you can only imagine how it feels having the oven turned at 200ºC. Hell, I'm tellin' ya!


In a fit of insanity (courtesy of the heat), I decided to make profiteroles. I haven't done them probably in 15 years or so, but one thing I remember was auntie Desa telling me 'do not be tempted to open the oven while baking them!'


You see, it was the village/town feast here and as every year, I was to go for lunch at my mother in law. I knew that she will have the traditional trifle (she makes mean trifle, by the way), but every year we get her a bottle of wine and some store bought sweet. Not this time. I mean I didn't made the wine, granted, Mr. F bought it :)


I'm admitting, before I even type out the recipe, I cheated... I didn't made the custard that went in them from scratch :( I'm kinda bummed about that, cause my home made tastes awesome, but again, blaming the heat for that. I simply did not have the will to stir and pay attention to my custard, so I took the easy way out... got ready made :( 


I'm going to go on a limb here and tell you that these are quantities for 2 dozens profiteroles, but that depends on the size, so more or less, it's just right.

Ingredients:


300ml cold water
6 tsp sugar
128 grams unsalted butter
173 grams plain flour
pinch of salt
2 large eggs, beaten


Method:


Preheat the oven to 200ºC and place small roasting tin filled with water at the bottom of the oven. You need to generate steam in order to have crunchy choux pastry.
Place the water, sugar and butter in a medium saucepan and heat until the butter has melted. Crank up the heat and in one go, pour the salt and flour into the pan. Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until the pastry comes away from the edges of the pan. Transfer to a bowl and let cool for 15 minutes.
Beat the eggs with a fork in a measuring jug and add some to the pastry while beating with electric whisk. It will look crumbly, but do not fear, all is good. Pour the eggs into 3 times and when everything is mixed, place the pastry into a piping bag fitted with plain nozzle, or you can use 2 teaspoons to drop pastry onto a baking sheet lined with baking paper.
Leave about 2cm space between each.
Bake for 25-35 minutes (depending on the strength of the oven), and DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR.
After taking them from the oven, pierce them with a knife at the side, so the steam will go out. This will prevent your profiteroles from being soggy.
Cool on a wire rack.
You can fill them with custard or whipped cream after they have cooled down and glaze them with some chocolate ganache.
For the chocolate ganache, scald half a cup of double cream and add 60 grams of dark chocolate chips into the cream. Add small knob of butter and stir until you have shiny, glossy mass. Pour over the profiteroles and let cool down before storing them.


Enjoy responsibly :D