Mint Chocolate Profiteroles
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Choux filled with mint-infused whipped cream, topped with a rich dark chocolate sauce. Adjusted ingredient ratios to bring freshness and subtle acidity. Replaced gélatine with agar-agar for a simpler set, swapped sirop de maïs with honey for a natural sweetness variation. Textured chocolate dough with added espresso powder to deepen flavor. Baking times and temperatures slightly tweaked to get choux perfectly hollow and crisp. Sauce emulsified with gentle whisking post rest. Filling drained through tamis to avoid leaf bits but keep herbal hints. Classic French technique with a refreshing twist and hands-on approach.
Prep:
50 min
Cook:
50 min
Total:
Servings:
12 servings
#French dessert
#choux pastry
#mint flavor
#chocolate
#agar agar
Mint flavors punch through heavy cream, lightening it up with fresh leaves steeped right at the start. Agar replaces gelatin for cleaner texture, easier to work with especially if you skip animal-based products or forget to bloom gelatin properly. For the dough, don’t be lazy. That extra drying phase on heat removes unwanted moisture trapping steam inside, so you get the hollow choux every time. Cocoa and espresso deepen chocolate notes without making it bitter. Then sauce is finished off with honey, a little twist contrasting with dark chocolate, rounding sweetness naturally. Scraping cream through sieve keeps the bite-free velvet smooth while locking in herb essence. Keep cool, work fast, and trust the oven sounds and smells over the clock. Punchy, refined, with layers, not fussed over but thoughtfully composed.
Ingredients
Mint Chantilly
- 275 ml (1 cup plus 1 tbsp) heavy cream 35 %
- 28 g (2 1/3 tbsp) sugar
- 8 g (1/4 cup tightly packed) fresh mint leaves
- 1 g agar-agar powder
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) cold water
Chocolate Choux
- 65 ml (1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp) water
- 65 ml (1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp) milk
- 45 g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter
- 4 ml (3/4 tsp) sugar
- pinch salt
- 70 g (1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 15 g (1 tbsp) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder
- 3 eggs
Chocolate Sauce
- 125 g (4.5 oz) 65 % dark chocolate, chopped
- 85 ml (1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp) milk
- 50 ml (3 tbsp plus 1 tsp) heavy cream 35 %
- 12 ml (3 tsp) sugar
- 12 ml (3 tsp) honey
About the ingredients
Mint choice matters here — pick bright, young leaves. No wilted or bruised bits or you get grassy bitterness. Agar agar instead of gelatin handled better temperature swings, but dissolve fully or you’ll fight lumps. Egg size is a variable; adjust texture of dough: too wet, they won’t hold shape; too dry, crumbly. Using espresso powder is my cheap hack for depth, optional but worthwhile. Sugar quantity tweaked smaller to keep chocolate sharp. If you lack heavy cream, half-and-half might substitute but will lose richness and whipping ability. For chocolate, 65 % works better balancing bitterness without overpowering mint. Honey gives a rounder finish than corn syrup, try wildflower varieties for a subtle floral note. Parchment or silicone liners both work fine, silicone cleaner but slips less, up to you. Clean utensils and bowls ensure perfect whipping outcomes and no interference flavors.
Method
Mint Chantilly
- 1. Heat 150 ml of cream with sugar and chopped mint leaves over medium heat until it gently simmers; small bubbles forming at edges, not full boil. Remove from heat; cover and steep 12 minutes. You want infusion without bitterness from overheating.
- 2. Soak agar-agar in cold water for 7 minutes. Sprinkle powder rather than dumping — clumps ruin suspension.
- 3. Reheat mint cream gently to very hot but not boiling; stir in agar mixture vigorously until fully dissolved. Do this step fast or agar sets in lumps.
- 4. Add remaining 125 ml cream cold, stir lightly. Pour into bowl, cover surface tightly with plastic wrap to prevent skin. Chill minimum 6 hours or overnight is best. Will thicken into custardy base to whip.
Chocolate Choux
- 5. Oven rack middling height. Preheat to 195°C (380°F). Line baking sheet with silicone or parchment.
- 6. Combine water, milk, butter, sugar, salt in pot. Bring to roaring bubble, watch closely. Remove immediately before full boil to protect butter from burning.
- 7. Add flour, cocoa, espresso powder all at once. Stir fast with wooden spoon until dough pulls away from sides and forms smooth clump, about 2 minutes. Warning: dough will be sticky but firm.
- 8. Return pot to low-medium heat. Keep stirring 3-5 minutes to dry the dough further — you'll see a thin film develop at bottom and around the ball. Essential to get crisp interior choux.
- 9. Transfer dough to mixer bowl or separate container. Cool 6 minutes stirring occasionally to prevent premature egg cooking.
- 10. Add eggs one by one. Mix briskly but gently. Dough should become glossy, pipeable but hold its shape.
- 11. Pipe 12 roughly 3.5 cm (1 1/2 inch) rounds onto sheet. Space generously, they spread slightly.
- 12. Lightly brush tops with beaten egg wash but avoid pooling. Too much liquid breaks crust.
- 13. Bake 14 minutes at 195°C — look for steady rise and deepened color. Lower temp to 175°C (350°F). Bake another 13-14 minutes until undersides are rich chocolate brown and feel dry.
- 14. Crack oven door ajar with wooden spoon. Leave choux inside 12 minutes to crisp and dry inside out.
- 15. Cool completely on rack, about 1 hour. Hollow interior crucial.
- 16. Use serrated knife to cut caps off. Set aside gently.
Chocolate Sauce
- 17. Place chocolate in heatproof bowl.
- 18. Heat milk, cream, sugar, honey to just before boil. Pour immediately over chocolate. Hold 1 1/2 minutes, no stirring.
- 19. Whisk carefully until silky, uniform texture. Sauce thickens as it cools but stays pourable. Keep warm over barely simmering water if needed.
Assembly
- 20. Run infused cream through fine sieve pressing gently to strain out mint bits. Should be smooth and aromatic.
- 21. Whip chilled cream with electric mixer on med-high till medium peaks form — fluffy but not stiff.
- 22. Transfer to piping bag with star tip. Pipe a generous swirl into bottom half of each chou. Fill fully but don’t overstuff or it’ll crack.
- 23. Place caps back on gently.
- 24. Arrange profiteroles on plates.
- 25. Spoon warm chocolate sauce over or serve on side. Rich bittersweet offset by bright mint cream. Eat soon or store in fridge up to 4 hours to preserve textures.
Cooking tips
Heat and timing are your best friends here, but watch what’s happening in the pan or oven too. When infusing cream, don’t let the mint turn bitter — just under boil is fine. Agar needs a delicate touch; add while hot but not boiling. For choux, invest time drying the dough well. That’s the secret no one mentions enough. The dough’s texture should be pliable but firm — practice is key; too liquidy means your choux fall flat. Pipe consistently sized rounds, spacing prevents joining during rise. Egg wash brushes gently, too thick and crust won’t crisp, too thin and burns will form. Oven spring depends on initial heat followed by lower temp for even cooking and nice color. Don’t skip drying with door ajar — crucial for interior texture. Chocolate sauce is all about patience; pouring hot cream over chopped chocolate then waiting before whisking preserves emulsion. Piping mint whipped cream with firm peaks but still soft makes filling mounting manageable and looks appealing. Serve immediately or chill briefly but no longer or sogginess sets in.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Infusing cream carefully. Don't let mint boil or bitterness sets in. Watch tiny bubbles at edges only. Timing matters more than exact temps. Agar-agar needs full dissolve before cream cools. Add vigorously, fast - agar sets quick. Clumps ruin texture; slow stir leads to lumps. Cold agar water soak essential. Skip gelatin if you want cleaner texture or vegan style. After infusion, rest covered - keeping aroma locked. Whip when cold, no rush, or won't hold peaks well.
- 💡 Dough drying step critical. After flour mix, low heat stirring till thin film forms bottom pot. Makes choux crisp, hollow inside. I learned the hard way - no dry = soggy core. Sticky dough is normal but firm. Don't underestimate that phase; it’s the secret many miss. Too much egg ruins pipeability - add gradually; you want glossy, pipeable but not runny. Spacing puffs well so no join on bake. Egg wash light - thick coats dampen crust, thin burns easily. Oven temp changes important for color and rise; watch sounds, slight crackles means moisture leaving.
- 💡 Chocolate sauce - heat cream mixture just before boiling. Pour hot over chocolate, wait no stir 90 seconds minimum. Silence after pour, no whisk yet. Then gentle whisk to keep silky, emulsified sauce. Honey over syrup change subtle but noticeable; wildflower honey adds floral notes. Warm sauce keeps pourable. Cool thickens but still usable. Serve promptly or keep gently warm in bain-marie. No overheat or sauce seizes. If too thick, add a splash milk warmed. If greasy, whisk longer to bring back shine.
- 💡 Working with mint leaves - bright and fresh only. Avoid bruised or old leaves to prevent bitterness or grassiness. Draining infused Chantilly through fine sieve critical to remove bits but keep herbal hints. More infusion time means stronger but can get bitter - 12 minutes sweet spot. Reheat infused cream gently to dissolve agar; overheating ruins texture. Rest after cover keeps surface moist; no skin forms. Whipping technique matters - med-high speed till peaks medium but not stiff or grainy. Chill bowl and whisk helps greatly, not mandatory but better.
- 💡 Assembly needs timing and care. Pipe mint cream full but avoid overstuffing - too much breaks choux shell. Caps delicate; slice gently with serrated knife. After baking, cool fully on rack for an hour minimum - hollow interior forms as steam dries out. Leaving door ajar post-bake for 12 minutes not optional. It crisps inside without drying crust. Sauce on side or drizzled depends on presentation but sauce cooldowns fast; rewarm if needed. Store leftovers max 4 hours refrigerated to maintain crisp and fresh notes.
Common questions
How to avoid mint bitterness?
Avoid full boil. Low simmer bubbles on edge only. Infuse 12 minutes not longer. Use young fresh leaves. Drain out bits later. Overheat wrecks aroma and brings harsh taste. Watch steam, don’t rush removal.
Can I substitute agar agar?
Gelatin works but bloom steps needed and texture different. Agar easier temp-wise but lumps if not dissolved fully. Some use corn syrup in sauce but honey adds different sweetness layer. For cream, whipping stability depends on fat content; no cream, try half-and-half but won’t whip same.
Why choux collapse sometimes?
Moisture inside still high if drying stage short or oven temp off. Dough too wet, eggs too many or big size difference. Spacing too close makes them join. Egg wash too thick or pooling adds wetness. Door ajar baking crucial for crisp interior. Cake racks after bake help prevent sogginess.
How long store profiteroles?
In fridge max 4 hours to keep texture; beyond that shells soften. Serve soon after filling. Separate cream and sauce if prepping early. Room temp they dry out fast; no wrap tight or fillings sink. Sauce can keep longer warming gently. For leftovers, chilling plus reheating sauce only recommended.
