Harried Housewife: Profiteroles

PROFITEROLES
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
4 eggs
Creamy Vanilla Filling
Chocolate Sauce

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt. In a medium saucepan, combine water and butter. Bring to a boil. Add flour mixture all at once, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon. Cook and stir until mixture forms a ball; remove from heat. Cool 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well with a wooden spoon after each addition. Using 2 spoons, drop dough into 12 mounds onto prepared baking sheet. (Use wet fingers to smooth out the tops.) Bake until golden, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; cool completely. To serve, cut the top 1/3 from the baked puffs; remove any soft dough inside. Fill with Creamy Vanilla Filling. Replace tops; drizzle with Chocolate Sauce. Makes 12 profiteroles.

CREAMY VANILLA FILLING

1 (4-serving size) package instant vanilla pudding mix
2 cups half-and-half or fat-free half-and-half

In a medium bowl, combine pudding mix and half-and-half. Beat with a wire whisk for 2 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

CHOCOLATE SAUCE

1/2 cup heavy (or whipping) cream
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
4 ounces high-quality semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a medium saucepan, combine heavy cream and corn syrup. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; remove from heat. Add chocolate; whisk until melted. Stir in vanilla.

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