Pastry Puffs!

These small bundles often referred to as profiteroles -- are a one-of-a-kind treat. The dough used to make them, called pâte à choux, is light and airy, yet sturdy, so it's perfect for filled goodies such as éclairs.

Ingredients

FOR THE PUFFS

1 cup water

1/2 cup unsalted butter, diced

1 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup flour

4 eggs

1 lightly beaten egg for coating

FOR THE CHOCOLATE SAUCE

1/2 cup heavy cream

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons unsalted butter

Instructions

Move the oven rack to a position slightly below the center and heat the oven to 375°. Lightly coat two baking sheets with butter.

In a medium saucepan, bring the water, butter, sugar, and salt to a boil. Remove the pan from the stove top and stir in the flour until well blended. Return the pan to the stove top and cook on medium, stirring constantly, until the mixture pulls away from the sides, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove the pan from the stove top once more and transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Stir in the 4 eggs, one at a time, until each is fully incorporated.

While the dough is still warm, use a tablespoon-size cookie scoop to place 1 1/2-inch-wide mounds on the baking sheets. Stagger the rows to give the puffs room to expand as they bake. Gently brush the top of each with the beaten egg.

Bake the puffs until golden brown, 25 to 28 minutes. (Don't remove them from the oven before they're fully baked, or they'll collapse.) Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the chocolate sauce, bring the heavy cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Place the chocolate in a heat-safe bowl and pour the cream on top. Let the mixture sit for 3 minutes, then whisk it until it's smooth. Add the butter, then whisk again.

To assemble the dessert, cut each puff in half, place a scoop of ice cream on the bottom, replace the top, and drizzle with the warm chocolate sauce. Serve immediately.

Tips:

The pastries are pretty healthy for a dessert, but it just depends what goes inside. You can add ice cream whipped cream, or even just serve with powdered sugar and fruit. Also for an easy quick topping just drizzle chocolate syrup on top! Seriously easy and yummy!

Also, without the sweet toppings you can serve alongside dinner as a delicious dinner roll!