Profiteroles Recipe

This Profiteroles recipe transforms classic French choux pastry into an elegant dessert filled with creamy vanilla ice cream and finished with warm chocolate sauce. Featured on Dinner in Paris with host Romain Avril, these heavenly French pastry puffs combine crisp, golden choux shells with cold ice cream and silky chocolate for a memorable contrast of temperatures and textures.

The Inspiration

Profiteroles are a beloved classic French dessert built around pâte à choux, the same foundational pastry used for several well-known French preparations. Unlike filled choux pastries that rely on pastry cream, this version from Dinner in Paris uses vanilla ice cream, creating a refreshing contrast between the cool filling and warm chocolate topping.

Host Romain Avril keeps the recipe focused on three essential elements: crisp choux puffs, vanilla ice cream, and simple chocolate sauce. The choux pastry provides the structure, while the filling and sauce transform each puff into an indulgent dessert.

Once the dough reaches the proper consistency, it is piped into small mounds and baked at high heat until puffed and golden. These hollow or airy pastry shells are then ready for the vanilla ice cream filling.

The chocolate sauce is intentionally straightforward. Hot cream is poured over semi-sweet chocolate chips and stirred until smooth, creating a rich sauce that can be spooned directly over the finished profiteroles.

Ingredients

For Choux

• 125 ml (½ cup) water
• 60 g (4 tbsp) butter
• 75 g (½ cup) flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp white sugar
• Small pinch of salt

For Filling

• Vanilla ice cream

For Sauce

• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• ½ cup cream

Method

Make choux

• Bring water, salt, sugar and butter to a boil over medium-high heat in a sauce pan.
• Add flour, cook 1–2 minutes. Cool slightly for 2-3 minutes.
• Add eggs one at a time. Let cool for 4-5 minutes.
• Transfer to piping bag. Pipe onto tray into small mounds. Bake 200°C / 400°F for 20–25 minutes.

Make sauce

• Place the semi-sweet chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl.
• Heat the cream until hot.
• Pour the hot cream directly over the chocolate chips.
• Allow the cream and chocolate to sit briefly.
• Stir gently until the chocolate melts completely.
• Continue stirring until the sauce is smooth and evenly combined.

Assemble

• Prepare the cooled choux pastry shells for filling.
• Fill each profiterole with vanilla ice cream.
• Arrange the filled profiteroles on individual serving plates or a shared dessert platter.
• Spoon the warm chocolate sauce generously over the ice cream-filled choux puffs.
• Serve immediately so the contrast between the cold vanilla ice cream and warm chocolate sauce can be enjoyed at its best.

Serving Suggestions

These French profiteroles with ice cream are best served immediately after assembly. Arrange several filled choux puffs on each dessert plate and drizzle the warm chocolate sauce over the top just before bringing them to the table. This preserves the contrast between crisp pastry, cold vanilla ice cream, and warm silky chocolate.

Profiteroles are ideal for dinner parties, celebrations, date nights, or as the final course of a French-inspired meal. Because the dessert already combines pastry, ice cream, and chocolate sauce, additional garnishes are not necessary. The simple presentation keeps the focus on the textures and flavours that define the dish.

For a shared presentation, arrange the filled profiteroles on a platter and pour some of the warm chocolate sauce across the top, keeping additional sauce nearby for serving.

Final Thoughts

This Profiteroles recipe showcases one of the most versatile techniques in French pastry: pâte à choux. Water, butter, flour, eggs, sugar, and salt create a deceptively simple dough that develops its light texture through heat and steam rather than yeast or another traditional leavening ingredient.

Whether served after a French-inspired dinner or prepared as a special dessert for guests, these heavenly Profiteroles deliver a satisfying combination of golden choux pastry, cool ice cream, and rich chocolate in every bite.

Find more recipes from Dinner in Paris here!

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