These Profiteroles are a perfect example of how obsessive we can be. But instead of detailing the months we spent on making, remaking, and reliving the not-always-pleasant neurotic memories of this one recipe (and honestly for a lot of recipes), let’s just get y’all closer to making this and piping in that Pandan Bavarian Cream you patiently made yourself!
2–4 SERVINGS
¾ cup water
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch slices
1½ teaspoons sugar
2 pinches kosher salt
¾ cup flour
3 plus 1 large eggs
BALLS OUT
40–80 SERVINGS
7½ cups water
3¾ cups unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch slices
5 tablespoons sugar
1¼ teaspoons kosher salt
7½ cups flour
30 plus 10 large eggs
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat (aka Silpat mat—they’re GREAT), or lightly line a pan with brushed-on melted butter. Sprinkle flour across it. Set aside.
3. Next, combine water, butter, sugar, and salt in a pot/pan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and stir until butter completely melts. Lower to medium heat and add flour and stir until dough pulls away from sides of pan and forms a ball. Remove from heat and let it cool for 10 minutes.
4. Transfer dough into a stand mixer, if you have one, or a mixing bowl, if you don’t. Fold three eggs into the dough, one at a time. Mix with paddle attachment or by hand with a rubber spatula.
5. Transfer the dough into piping bag, then pipe as many 1 ½-inch-long strands of dough onto your lined baking sheet as you can. Leave about 2 inches between each strand.
6. Beat the remaining egg in a separate bowl, then brush egg wash over all the dough strands. This step ensures a nice crunchy top for the profiterole. Transfer the baking sheet to the middle rack of the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350°F and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the profiteroles are golden brown. Next, use a skewer or similar tool to pierce a hole in one end of each pastry to allow steam to escape and, later, to pipe in the cream. Continue to bake for 5 minutes.
Remove profiteroles from oven and let cool on a rack. Pipe in your Pandan Bavarian Cream or whatever other deliciousness your heart and mouth desire. Enjoy!
If you don’t have a pastry bag fitted with a ½-inch plain tip for piping, use a resealable plastic freezer bag. Cut on a diagonal a ½-inch circle from the bottom corner of your freezer bag. Fill bag with Bavarian Cream (or whatever else you may be piping) and pipe (as long as you can) away!