Salted Salmon Profiteroles

Salted salmon profiteroles are an elegant and delicious option for starters or sophisticated aperitifs. Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients

• For the choux (profiteroles):
  • 100 g of water
  • 50 g of butter
  • A pinch of salt
  • 60 g of all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs
• For the filling:
  • 200 g of smoked salmon
  • 250 g of cream cheese (such as Philadelphia)
  • 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
  • Chives to taste
  • Black pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Begin by preparing the choux pastry for the profiteroles. In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil with the butter and a pinch of salt.
2. Remove the water from the heat and add all the flour at once, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon until you have a homogeneous mixture that comes away from the sides of the saucepan.
3. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let it cool for a few minutes.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, incorporating them completely before adding the next. In the end, you will have a smooth and shiny dough.
5. Preheat the oven to 200 °C.
6. Transfer the choux pastry into a pastry bag and form small mounds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them apart because they will grow during cooking.
7. Lower the oven temperature to 180 °C and bake the profiteroles for about 20-25 minutes, or until they are puffed and golden. Do not open the oven during baking to avoid deflation.
8. Once cooked, turn off the oven and let them cool inside with the door slightly open to avoid temperature shocks.
9. While the profiteroles are cooling, prepare the filling by mixing the cream cheese with the lemon juice, chopped chives, black pepper to taste, and the salmon cut into small pieces or strips.
10. When the profiteroles are cold, fill them with the salmon and cream cheese using a piping bag with a star nozzle or by making a small hole at the top of each and inserting the filling.

You can garnish the profiteroles with additional herbs, such as chives or dill, to add a touch of color and freshness.

Curiosity

Salted profiteroles are a variation of the classic sweet profiteroles, which are traditionally filled with pastry cream or whipped cream. In France, the choux pastry used for profiteroles has been known since the 16th century, and it is said that it was an Italian pastry chef who moved to France, who invented it. Choux pastry is a versatile preparation that can be adapted for both sweet and savory recipes.