Lemon-filled profiteroles with lemon chocolate top recipe

Rich and zingy, these lemon-filled and chocolate topped profiteroles are a real crowdpleaser!

Dripping with glossy chocolate these yummy little creamy puffs are always a popular dessert option. The perfect special finale for a dinner party, these sweet treats can be made earlier in the day, just take out of the fridge 20 mins before serving so that they can come to room temperature. If you’re a dab hand with a piping bag you can also pipe éclair shapes or use a 1cm nozzle to pipe the profiteroles so that they are perfectly round.

Making choux pastry for profiteroles can be a little hard to master but once you get the hang of it you will be making profiteroles for every occasion. Why not try our savoury cheese and chive puffs while you're at it?

If you have leftover mixture pipe shapes and freeze them, once frozen transfer into a freezer bag and keep frozen until needed. They can be baked straight from frozen, just add another 5 – 10 mins to the cooking time. To test they are ready cut one in half, they should be dry on the inside. 

Ingredients

For the choux

• 50g unsalted butter, melted
• 125ml whole milk
• 1tsp caster sugar
• 1⁄4tsp sea salt
• 75g plain flour
• 2 - 3 eggs, beaten

for the filling

• 1tbsp cornflour
• 250g fresh vanilla custard
• zest of 1 lemon
• 100ml double cream

for the chocolate sauce

• 2tbsp lemon juice
• 100g chocolate
• 4tsp icing sugar, sieved
• 1/8th tsp sea salt

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170C/Gas 31⁄2. Put the butter, milk, sugar and salt into a medium sized pan, bring to the boil them remove from the heat. Tip in the flour and beat until smooth. Return to a medium heat and cook, mixing continuously, until the dough begins to faintly sizzle and stick to the bottom of the pan. Turn out into the bowl of an electric mixer or mixing bowl and leave to cool for 10 mins.
2. Adding a little egg at a time incorporate fully before adding more. You may not need to add all of the egg, so check between inclusions and stop when the  mixture is smooth and glossy with a dropping consistency (when you lift some of the mixture on a spatula it will fall off leaving a ‘v’ shape). 
3. Spoon 16 - 20 x 3cm round dollops of the mixture onto one or two lined baking trays leaving space between them. With a wet finger or pastry brush carefully smooth down any spikes. Bake for 40 mins until golden and dry (don’t be tempted to open the oven while they’re cooking as it will cause them to sink).   
4. While the profiteroles are cooking make the filling: In a pan mix the cornflour with a little of custard until smooth. Incorporate the remaining custard, over a medium heat bring to a boil whisking continuously as the mixture bubbles. Allow the mixture to bubble for a minute while mixing, then remove from the heat and pour into a heat proof bowl. Cover the clingfilm and set aside for 30 mins until cool and set. 
5. Once the filling is cool tip into the bowl of a mixer, beat until smooth then add the cream and whisk until firm.   
6. To assemble: cut the cooled profiteroles in half, spoon the filling onto the bases and pop the tops on. Refrigerate to firm up. When ready to serve make the chocolate sauce: put the ingredients into a heat proof bowl, place above a pan of simmering water making sure the base of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Once the chocolate is melted mix in 30ml of just boiled water. While warm pour the chocolate over the profiteroles.