These Homemade Chocolate Profiteroles are light, airy, and filled with silky vanilla pastry cream before being generously coated in a rich, glossy chocolate ganache. Elegant enough for special occasions yet simple enough to make at home, these classic French cream puffs deliver the perfect balance of crisp choux pastry, creamy filling, and decadent chocolate in every bite.

Ingredients

For the Choux Pastry

• 1 cup (240 ml) water
• ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs

For the Vanilla Pastry Cream

• 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk
• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 4 large egg yolks
• ¼ cup (30 g) cornstarch
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

For the Chocolate Ganache

• 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
• 8 oz (225 g) semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a saucepan, bring the water, butter, sugar, and salt to a boil.
3. Add the flour all at once and stir vigorously until the dough forms a smooth ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
4. Let cool for 5 minutes, then beat in the eggs one at a time until the dough becomes smooth, glossy, and pipeable.
5. Pipe small rounds onto the prepared baking sheets and bake for 25–30 minutes, until puffed and deeply golden. Cool completely.
6. For the pastry cream, heat the milk until steaming. Whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch. Slowly whisk in the hot milk, then return everything to the saucepan and cook until thickened. Stir in the butter and vanilla, then chill completely.
7. Heat the cream until just simmering and pour it over the chopped chocolate. Let stand for 2 minutes, then stir until smooth. Mix in the butter for extra shine.
8. Fill each profiterole with the chilled pastry cream using a piping bag.
9. Dip or spoon the warm chocolate ganache over the tops and let it drip naturally down the sides.
10. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to enjoy.

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Chill Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes