Coloured Profiteroles with Mascarpone

I can gladly describe how to prepare colored mascarpone profiteroles. These desserts are a delicious variation of the classic profiterole, where mascarpone adds a unique creaminess. The profiteroles can be colored by using food coloring in the choux pastry or in the cream, or more simply by serving them with colored sauces for a lively presentation.

Ingredients

• For the choux pastry:

  • 125 ml of water
  • 50 g of butter
  • A pinch of salt
  • 75 g of flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • Food coloring (optional)

• For the mascarpone cream:

  • 250 g of mascarpone
  • 50 g of powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
  • 100 ml of whipping cream

• For the decoration:

  • Dark chocolate
  • White chocolate
  • Berries or hazelnut grains (optional)
  • Food coloring (if you want a colored sauce)

Preparation

1. Start with the choux pastry. Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Bring the butter, water and pinch of salt to a boil in a pot. Once the butter has completely melted, reduce the heat.

2. Add the flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pot forming a ball. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

3. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring well after each addition until you have a smooth and shiny dough. If you want to color the choux pastry, add a few drops of food coloring and mix well until you get the desired color.

4. Place the mixture in a piping bag with a smooth nozzle and form small mounds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

5. Bake for about 20 minutes until they become golden and puffed. Let the choux cool on a wire rack.

6. Prepare the mascarpone cream by mixing the mascarpone with the powdered sugar and vanilla extract until you get a smooth cream. Whip the cream separately and then gently fold it into the mascarpone mixture.

7. Once the choux are cool, fill them with the mascarpone cream using a piping bag.

8. For the decoration, you can melt the chocolate in a bain-marie or in the microwave and then dip the filled profiteroles in it. If you want a colored sauce, you can add food coloring to the melted white chocolate.

9. Arrange the profiteroles on a serving plate and let the chocolate set.

10. If you like, garnish with fresh berries or with hazelnut grains before serving.

Interesting Facts

Profiteroles are of French origin and were introduced in Italy where they gained great success. They have become a classic dessert that lends itself to numerous variations, both regarding the filling cream and the topping.