Chick profiteroles, a fun and tasty idea to propose for Easter, along with the classic Colomba or maybe even as a substitute. Very simple to make even with the little ones at home. Made with the basic choux pastry recipe and filled with custard.
To decorate them, I used chocolate chips for the eyes and almonds for the beak, both to be eaten first with the eyes and then with the palate. You can also replace these ingredients with others of your liking. I think the little ones will have fun decorating them.
I got the inspiration for this recipe from Pinterest, my reference point when I look for something nice to offer you on these occasions. For this recipe, or rather for the making of the choux pastry, I recommend following doses and steps to the letter. In pastry making, it is often more important to have the weight of certain ingredients as a reference, rather than the quantity in number. And now, hands on dough and let’s unleash our creativity, because the chick profiteroles with custard will be ready in a click!
If you are interested in other Easter recipes, also read:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 14 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Stove, Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Easter
- Energy 130.93 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 13.78 (g) of which sugars 7.85 (g)
- Proteins 3.45 (g)
- Fat 7.29 (g) of which saturated 4.00 (g)of which unsaturated 3.21 (g)
- Fibers 0.25 (g)
- Sodium 95.35 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 53 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 pieces eggs
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 3/4 cups milk
- 4 egg yolks
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- lemon zest (to taste)
- 14 almonds
- chocolate chips (to taste)
Tools
- High-edge saucepan
- Baking tray
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Blender
- Piping bag
Steps
First, prepare the choux pastry. Bring butter, water, and salt to a boil in a saucepan.
Remove from heat and add the sifted flour all at once, stirring with a spoon.
Return the pot to the heat and continue stirring to dry out the mixture. When the dough begins to pull away from the sides and a white film forms on the bottom, it is cooked. Then place the dough in a bowl and let it cool slightly.At this point, incorporate the eggs, one at a time. Add the next egg only after the first is well incorporated. After you have obtained a smooth and sticky mixture, transfer it to a piping bag (if it is too shiny, it indicates an excessive amount of eggs).
Line a baking tray with parchment paper and form mounds of dough the size of a walnut, spacing them apart as they will puff up and grow during baking. After filling the baking tray, slightly flatten the tops with a finger or a slightly wet spoon.
Finally, bake in the oven at 428°F for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 356°F and continue baking for another 30 minutes or so.
After the baking time, leave the profiteroles in the oven with the door slightly open for 5 minutes, then remove them from the oven and let them cool. In the meantime, prepare the custard.
Bring the milk to a boil in a saucepan with the washed lemon zest. Separately, work the egg yolks with the sugar. Then add the cornstarch and mix again. Gradually add the milk to the egg mixture, after removing the lemon zest, always stirring to avoid lumps.
Return to heat and cook over low heat, stirring, until the custard has thickened and appears shiny. Transfer it to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap in contact and let it cool.
As soon as the custard has cooled, work it for a few moments with electric beaters to make it creamy again and transfer it to a piping bag.
Take the profiteroles and cut the top off with a knife. Then fill the base with custard.
And now it’s time to decorate the profiteroles. Place an almond on the custard for the beak and two chocolate chips for the eyes. Your chick profiteroles are ready to be served.
Storage and tips for chick profiteroles
Chick profiteroles can be stored in the refrigerator for 1 or 2 days at most.
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FAQ Questions and Answers for chick profiteroles
Why don’t the profiteroles puff up and collapse?
Probably you added too many eggs. I recommend using the quantity indicated in the recipe to avoid these issues. The choux pastry is ready when, after adding all the eggs, the mixture is sticky and not shiny.
