Profiterolles for Soups

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Heavy aluminum sheet pan
• •Piping bag with a ¼-inch (6 mm) plain tip
• •Fine pastry brush
• •Cooling rack
• •Mini food processor or small mortar
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •Second piping bag with a narrow plain tip

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the piping

   Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) with a rack in the middle, and line a heavy sheet pan with parchment. Fit a piping bag with a smooth ¼-inch (6 mm) plain tip, then spoon in the finished, unsweetened Common Pâte à Choux (for Souffléd Fritters, Gnochi, Potatoes à la Dauphine) (No. 2374). Press the paste toward the tip and twist the bag firmly above it so every squeeze is controlled.

2. 2

   Pipe hazelnut-small choux

   Hold the tip straight above the tray and pipe 16 rounded portions no wider than a small hazelnut, about ⅝ inch (1.5 cm), leaving 1 inch (2.5 cm) between them. Stop squeezing before lifting the tip so each portion stays round. If the sizes wander, scrape the unbaked paste back into the bag and pipe again; this is the moment to correct them, because uneven choux dry at different rates.

   If the paste spreads instead of holding a mound, chill the filled bag for 10 minutes and test another portion. Don't stir raw flour into finished pâte à choux.
3. 3

   Gild them lightly

   Gild each choux with the thinnest coat of beaten egg, using a fine brush and barely touching the surface. Smooth any sharp piping points with the brush. Keep the egg from running onto the tray, where it can glue the base and restrain the rise; if it puddles, lift it away with the corner of a clean paper towel.

4. 4

   Bake until fully dry

   Bake without opening the oven for 12 minutes, until the profiterolles have risen and taken an even butter-gold color. Lower the heat to 325°F (165°C) and continue baking for 8 to 12 minutes, until the shells feel firm and remarkably light. Split one sacrificial shell: the center must be hollow, with dry inner walls and no soft ribbon of paste. If it is damp, ça se rattrape. Return the tray to the oven for 5-minute intervals until another test shell is dry, then cool them completely on a rack.

   Rise is only half the work. A pale, flexible shell will collapse beneath the purée, while a properly dried one stays crisp long enough to meet the consommé.
5. 5

   Make one purée

   For the foie gras filling, beat the pâté de foie gras with the cream until perfectly smooth and pipeable. For the chicken filling, process the chopped chicken with the softened butter, then add the cream gradually until it becomes a close, silky purée; press it through a fine sieve if any fibers remain. Season either filling with white pepper and taste before adding salt. If the purée runs, chill it for 15 minutes; if it is too stiff to pipe, loosen it with cream a few drops at a time.

6. 6

   Fill the shells

   Make a tiny opening in the flat underside of each cooled shell with a skewer or paring-knife point. Transfer the chosen purée to a piping bag fitted with a narrow plain tip, insert it through the opening, and fill until the shell gains a little weight but does not split. Wipe the underside clean. Keep the filled profiterolles chilled while the consommé is heated.

7. 7

   Float and serve

   Bring the consommé to a bare simmer and taste it for seasoning; the choux will soften its force slightly, so the broth must be clear and confident. Warm four shallow soup bowls, place four profiterolles in each, and ladle the consommé around them rather than directly over their gilded tops. Carry the bowls to the table at once, while the shells still offer a tender bite against the hot broth. À table!

Chef Tips

• •The Common Pâte à Choux (for Souffléd Fritters, Gnochi, Potatoes à la Dauphine) (No. 2374) must be unsweetened and soft enough to pipe while still holding a rounded mound. Its own formula remains a separate preparation; here you reach for it finished, exactly as the classical kitchen did.
• •Pipe two extra test shells if your small quantity permits. Cutting one open is the surest measure of dryness, and sacrificing a single choux is cheaper than filling a tray that collapses.
• •Choose one purée, not both. Foie gras gives the most silken result; chicken is gentler and needs the fine sieve if you want the same close texture. Technique first, always.
• •The consommé must be beautifully clear and a shade more assertive than you would serve alone. Four small choux absorb seasoning quickly, and a timid broth disappears around them.
• •With the foie gras filling, pour a dry Champagne or a restrained white Burgundy. Sweet wine overwhelms the consommé before the second spoonful.

Advance Preparation

• •Bake and dry the empty shells up to 2 days ahead. Once completely cool, keep them airtight; if they soften, re-dry them at 300°F (150°C) for 5 to 7 minutes and cool again before filling.
• •Either purée can be prepared a day ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator. Let it soften only enough to pipe, then fill the shells no more than 1 hour before serving.
• •Prepare and clarify the consommé ahead, chill it promptly, and remove any set surface fat. Reheat it gently to a bare simmer while the bowls warm.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 330g)