Strawberry-Rose Profiteroles

Profiteroles—aka cream puffs—make a head-turning summer dessert. Our version features a rich pastry cream flavoured with exotic rose water and juicy strawberries.

MAKES: about 30 profiteroles

PREP TIME:1 hour

COOKING TIME: about 45 minutes

CHILLING TIME: 1 hour

SETTING TIME: about 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

PROFITEROLES:

• 1 cup water
• ½ cup whole milk
• ¾ cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and softened
• ¼ tsp fine sea salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup bread flour
• 5 large eggs

STRAWBERRY-ROSE PASTRY CREAM:

• ½ cup whole hulled strawberries
• 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ½ vanilla bean
• 2 cups whole milk
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 5 large egg yolks
• 5 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and softened
• ⅓ cup whipping cream (35%)
• ¼ cup hulled and finely chopped strawberries
• 1 to 3 Tbsp rose water
• Red gel food colouring (optional)

WHITE CHOCOLATE GLAZE:

• ½ cup finely chopped white chocolate
• 1 tsp white corn syrup
• 2 Tbsp whipping cream (35%)
• ½ cup shelled pistachios, finely chopped

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. For the profiteroles, follow Steps 1 through 7 of the Stunning Chocolate Croquembouche recipe, heating the milk with the water, butter and salt and adding the bread flour along with the all-purpose flour.
2. Bake for 10 minutes, then turn down the oven temperature to 350°F. Bake until the profiteroles have risen and are a deep golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Remove the profiteroles from the oven. Using a wooden skewer, poke a hole in the bottom or side of each one to release the steam. Return the profiteroles to the oven to dry, with the oven door ajar, for 5 minutes.
4. Carefully remove the profiteroles from the baking sheets and let cool completely on a wire rack. (The profiteroles can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 24 hours, or frozen for up to 1 month. Crisp up the frozen profiteroles in a 375ºF oven for 8 to 10 minutes, then let cool completely
   before proceeding with the recipe.)
5. For the strawberry-rose pastry cream, combine the whole strawberries and lemon juice in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse until smooth. (If you prefer a super-smooth purée, strain the strawberry mixture through a fine-mesh sieve.) Set aside.
6. Using a sharp knife, split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Scrape the seeds out into a medium saucepan, then drop the pod into the saucepan.
7. Add the milk and ⅓ cup of the sugar to the saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover and let stand for about 5 minutes.
8. In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining sugar, the egg yolks and cornstarch until well combined.
9. Whisk the hot milk into the egg-yolk mixture, a little at time.
10. Strain the egg yolk mixture through a fine-mesh sieve back into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, until the mixture starts to thicken, about 7 minutes.
11. Turn down the heat to medium-low and switch the spatula for a whisk. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture starts to bubble, about 1 ½ minutes.
12. Remove from the heat and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the butter, one piece at a time, until it melts. Fold in the strawberry purée.
13. Scrape the pastry cream into a medium bowl. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pastry cream. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour.
14. In a separate medium bowl, whip the cream until stiff peaks form.
15. Gently stir the cold pastry cream until slightly softened. Fold in the chopped strawberries, then fold in one-third of the whipped cream to lighten the pastry cream. Fold in the remaining whipped cream. Fold in the rose water, 1 tablespoonful at a time, until flavoured to your taste. Add enough food colouring (if using) to tint the pastry cream pale pink.
16. Spoon the pastry cream into a large piping bag fitted with a plain or star tip. Chill until ready to serve the profiteroles.

WHITE CHOCOLATE GLAZE:

1. For the white chocolate glaze, melt the white chocolate with the corn syrup in a medium heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of hot, not boiling, water. Remove from the heat and stir until the mixture is smooth.
2. Stir in the cream. Set aside until cooled and thickened slightly, about 10 minutes.
3. Just before serving, using a sharp serrated knife, cut the tops off the profiteroles. Pipe a rosette of pastry cream in the bottom half of each profiterole.
4. Dip the tops of the profiteroles in the white chocolate glaze. Replace the tops of the profiteroles. Sprinkle each profiterole with pistachios. Set aside until the glaze has hardened, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

BAKING DAY SECRETS

• If you prefer, substitute ¼ cup of strawberry jam for the fresh strawberry purée in the pastry cream.