Mint Chocolate Profiteroles

Mint Whipped Cream

1. 1. Start with heavy cream, sugar, and mint leaves into a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring just to a simmer - look for bubbles around edges, not a rolling boil. Remove immediately to avoid bitter mint. Cover, infuse for 12 minutes. The aroma should be fresh but not grassy. Avoid over-extracting chlorophyll to keep color pale green.
2. 2. While infusing, sprinkle gelatin over cold water to bloom. Wait 6 minutes. Cold water ensures gelatin doesn't clump. This step is about texture — gelatin sets the cream without stiffness.
3. 3. Strain cream through fine mesh, pressing leaves with back of spoon to extract maximum flavor but no leaf bits. Reheat gently if cooled, then whisk in gelatin until completely dissolved. Add remaining cold cream to bring temperature down fast. Cover surface tightly with plastic wrap to prevent skin. Chill minimum 7 hours or overnight. Gelatin needs time to stabilize the cream for piping later.

Chocolate Choux Pastry

1. 4. Set oven rack center, preheat to 195 °C (380 °F). Line baking sheet with silicone or parchment. Setup essential before mixing.
2. 5. Combine water, milk, butter, sugar, salt in medium saucepan. Bring to vigorous boil - watch closely or milk sugars scorch. Remove from heat immediately once boiling. Avoid delay; heat drop before adding dry will ruin rise.
3. 6. Add flour and cocoa all at once. Stir vigorously with wooden spoon until dough pulls from sides and forms ball. The sound changes: from sticky batter to denser, dull clinking. Stir about 2.5 minutes on heat to dry batter out, keeps outside crisp. Moist inside but no wetness. Key: dough should leave thin film on pot
4. 7. Transfer dough to mixer bowl or sturdy bowl. Beat with paddle or wooden spoon 4 minutes to release steam and cool slightly. Some moisture evaporates here — essential for puffing.
5. 8. Add eggs one at a time, beating well each addition until shiny, smooth, dough falls in thick ribbons. Avoid over or under mixing eggs. Dough should be thick but pipeable, hold peaks. Over-liquidy dough spreads in oven; too stiff, no rise.
6. 9. Fit piping bag with large star tip (1cm). Pipe 12 mounds spaced well, about 3.5 cm diameter. Wet finger to smooth peaks if needed; prevents pinholes. Skip overcrowding. Keeps oven air circulating.
7. 10. Swap original egg wash: brush chilled choux lightly with whole milk for gentler browning. Milk affects crust color and texture - subtler, avoids over-browning. Don’t drench – just a film.
8. 11. Bake 16 minutes at 195 °C. Shells should puff and darken evenly. Reduce oven to 175 °C (350 °F). Continue baking 17–18 minutes. Look for deep color developing underneath, hollow, dry sound when tapped. Switch off oven, leave door slightly open with wooden spoon wedge. Dry shells inside for another 17 minutes to avoid moisture trapping. Do not open before end or shells collapse.
9. 12. Transfer to wire rack to cool 60 minutes. Important - steam must escape slowly. Cool fully before filling.
10. 13. Cut top calottes (the hollow dome lids) horizontally with serrated knife. Reserve.

Chocolate Espresso Sauce

1. 14. Place chopped chocolate in medium bowl.
2. 15. Bring milk, cream, sugar, maple syrup just to boil in saucepan. Watch for rising bubbles around edges. Remove immediately to avoid milk burning.
3. 16. Pour hot liquid over chocolate. Let sit 90 seconds without stirring. Holding still allows chocolate to melt gently preserving shine and texture.
4. 17. Whisk slowly from center outward until glossy, smooth. Keep warm over double boiler or low heat. Stir occasionally. Sauce must coat spoon thinly but not run off instantly.

Assembly and Finishing Touches

1. 18. Press whipped mint cream through fine sieve with back of ladle to remove bits of mint leaf. Should be velvety, bright green.
2. 19. Whip until soft peaks form - too firm makes filling dry, too loose won’t fill. Transfer to piping bag fitted with large star nozzle.
3. 20. Fill each choux generously but carefully to avoid shell breakage. Close with reserved tops.
4. 21. Arrange profiteroles on individual plates or platter. Drizzle warm chocolate espresso sauce over each - use spoon to control flow without drowning shells.
5. 22. Optional - sprinkle with finely chopped fresh mint or dust with cocoa powder for extra aroma and contrast.

Notes on Technique and Substitutions

1. • Cream 38% used instead of 35% offers richer mouthfeel; if unavailable, 35% works but whip slightly longer.
2. • Maple syrup for sauce—replaces corn syrup here; adds subtle caramel notes, alters viscosity slightly; use light grade to avoid overpowering chocolate.
3. • Egg wash replaced by milk wash for more nuanced browning and softer crust; egg adds shine but can brown too fast or color unevenly.
4. • If gelatin unavailable, can stabilize whipped cream with 1 tbsp mascarpone cheese or use whipping cream stabilizer powders, but texture will differ slightly.
5. • Watch oven heat carefully. Too hot = cracked shells, too low = no rise, soggy interior.
6. • For filling: strain whipped cream to avoid bitter mint leaf texture.
7. • Use fresh mint leaves; frozen or dried lack bright flavor, risk bitterness.
8. • Sauce temperature critical; too hot melts whipped cream filling, too cool loses flow.
9. • For dairy-free: swap cream for coconut cream, chocolate for dairy-free dark variety; adjust sweetness.
10. • Use silicone mat over parchment if shells stick easily.
11. • Cooling in oven with door ajar creates stable environment to prevent shell collapse, avoids brittle crust.
12. • When piping choux, consistent size ensures even baking.
14. Watch, listen, feel. Choux crackling gently in oven, colors deepening. Mint scent filling cream, bright fresh without overpowering. Sauce thickening with glossy sheen. Patience in cooling avoids hollow disappointment. Precision in whipping keeps cream light but stable. The products of technique, practice, and respect for ingredients.