Profiterole Pyramid

Name: Profiterole Pyramid
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Ingredients: 75 g (3oz) butter; 100 g (3 1/2oz) plain flour; 2 large eggs, lightly beaten; 450 mL (3/4 pint) double cream; 40 g (1 1/2oz) icing sugar, sifted; 2 tsp. vanilla extract; 1-2 tbsp brandy, optional; 100 g (3 1/2oz) caster sugar

In its larger form, this classic dessert is known as a croquembouche (or ‘crunch in mouth’) - a masterpiece often served at weddings.

By The GH Kitchen TeamPublished: 09 December 2011

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Food, Cuisine, Toy, Finger food, Dish, Ingredient, Stuffed toy, Recipe, Snack, Sweetness,

Serving notes: Makes about 28

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Prep Time:

45 mins

Cook Time:

50 mins

Total Time:

1 hr 35 mins

Ingredients

75 g (3oz) butter
100 g (3 1/2oz) plain flour
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
450 ml (3/4 pint) double cream
40 g (1 1/2oz) icing sugar, sifted
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1-2 tbsp brandy, optional
100 g (3 1/2oz) caster sugar

Directions

1. Step 1
  Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. Melt the butter in a large pan, then add 225ml (8fl oz) water. Bring to the boil then, as soon as the mixture is bubbling rapidly, take the pan off the heat and stir in the flour. Continue stirring until the mixture comes away from the sides of the pan.
2. Step 2
  Transfer to a large bowl and start beating with a handheld electric whisk. Gradually add the eggs, whisking all the time. The pastry should be thick and smooth.
3. Step 3
  Dollop heaped teaspoonfuls of the mixture on to non-stick baking sheets, spacing them well apart (you should have about 28). Use a damp finger to smooth the mounds as much as possible. Bake for 25-30min until deep golden. Carefully pierce a rough 5mm (¼in) hole in the base of each bun to allow the steam to escape, then lay the buns on their sides and return to the oven for 3-5min to dry out. Cool completely on a wire rack.
4. Step 4
  Put cream, icing sugar, vanilla and brandy, if using, into a large bowl and whisk until cream is thick and holds its shape. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a 5mm (¼in) nozzle and fill each profiterole through its hole.
5. Step 5
  Arrange the profiteroles in a pyramid on a serving plate, using a little of the cream to fix the buns in place.
6. Step 6
  Put the caster sugar into a large frying pan and heat gently, swirling occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and cooks to a deep caramel colour. Using a metal spoon, drizzle the caramel over the profiteroles. Allow to harden for a few minutes before serving.
  
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Per Serving:

Calories: 139
Total carbs: 8 g
Sugars: 6 g
Total fat: 11 g
Saturated fat: 7 g

The GH Kitchen Team

The GH Kitchen Team are Good Housekeeping’s resident recipe developers and all-round food obsessives. GH Kitchen Director Sarah Akhurst is our resident hosting pro and loves nothing more than putting on a foodie feast for friends. Our GH Kitchen Manager Linzi Pucino is our very own Italian food expert (originally hailing from the North East of Scotland!) and can be found working her way through midweek recipes that cover all bases, from haggis to ragu! Our Kitchen Editor ⁠Nadine Brown loves digging into the stories behind her favourite foods and enjoys applying her eclectic tastes to more modern, flavour-forward recipes - just don't give her too much chilli! Our Junior Food Content Produce ⁠Frankie Prichard combines a love of beautiful presentation and flavour-led, seasonal cooking in her recipe development, along with a passion for bringing people together through food. With a wealth of professional kitchen experience between them, they’re dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work every single time