Here's a great project to tackle this weekend - make these insanely delicious chocolate profiteroles stuffed with vanilla ice cream, then showered with a hot chocolate sauce at the table. Yes, it is a cliche; yes it is a dish from another decade; yes it is really good.

Profiteroles are the perfect home dessert and are guaranteed to please everyone, from small children to grown adults. And once you master the dough for profiteroles you can easily make several other classics like a feather-light beignet, gougères, and crispy potato puffs known as Pommes Dauphine.

The first step is to make cream puffs, a.k.a. profiteroles, a.k.a. choux paste, a.k.a. pâte à choux

Choux paste is a simple French dough that usually contains only four ingredients: milk/water, butter, flour, and eggs. The dough itself can easily be made in 5 to 10 minutes and then baked or fried. It is interesting to note that the reason choux paste puffs is because of the high moisture content. As the dough cooks, steam is produced and the dough begins to puff. It stays puffed by baking the dough a bit longer until it starts to dry.

Chocolate Profiteroles

PREP: 5 minutes | COOK: 50 minutes | MAKES: 4 servings

pâte à choux, choux paste

• 1 cup water

• 1 pinch sea salt

• 1 stick of unsalted butter (4 oz)

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 4 eggs

• 1 egg beaten (for egg wash)

chocolate sauce

• 1 cup water

• 1/2 cup heavy cream

• 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate

• 1/3 cup sugar

other ingredients

• 1-quart vanilla bean ice cream (or whatever flavor you like)

pâte à choux

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or buttered sheet of parchment paper.

2. In a large stainless steel saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the water, milk, butter, and salt. Bring to a rapid boil, stirring to combine as the butter melts. Reduce the heat to medium and, using a wooden spoon, stir in the flour all at once. Cook, stirring constantly, until the dough dries out slightly, about 1 minute. This is important—excess moisture will cause your puffs to collapse. Remove the pan from the heat and let the dough cool for 5 minutes.

3. Stir in the eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated before adding the next. You can mix in the eggs with a mixer, food processor, or a wooden spoon to get a workout.

4. Place the dough in a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip and pipe golf ball-sized puffs onto the prepared baking sheet.

5. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and water. Brush the tops of the puffs lightly with the egg wash, and bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking until golden brown and dry, about 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

chocolate sauce

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the water, cream, chocolate chips, and sugar and bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until it develops a sauce-like consistency, 5 to 7 minutes. Keep warm.

2. Cut the cream puffs in half. Fill the bottom half with a spoonful of ice cream, then press the other half on top. Arrange them in a pyramid shape on a large serving platter. Drizzle with the warm chocolate sauce at the table and serve.

1. LES PETS DE SOEURS (THE FARTS OF NUNS, a.k.a. feather-light Beignet).

These feather-light deep-fried beignets most likely got their nickname pets de nonne (literally “nun’s farts”) from a slight bastardization of the earlier term paix-de-nonne (“nun’s peace”). There are plenty of other theories, but being related to certain members of my French family that when given the proper dosage of pastis have a penchant for bending innocent words into far more vulgar ones at the drop of a hat.

Give these delicious little puffs a try, despite the crude name they taste simply fantastic.

Click here to watch a short movie on how to make Nun’s Farts While you are there PLEASE subscribe to my YouTube channel

Prep 10 minutes | Cook 10 minutes | Rest 5 minutes | Servings 8

• 1 cup whole milk

• 8 tbsp unsalted butter

• 1 pinch salt

• 1 tbsp granulated sugar

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 4 large eggs

• 1 tbsp dark rum

• 1 orange zested

• 2 quarts vegetable oil

• 1 cup granulated sugar for rolling cooked beignet in

1. In a large stainless steel saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the milk, butter, salt, and sugar. Bring to a rapid boil, stirring to combine as the butter melts. Reduce the heat to medium and, using a wooden spoon, stir in the flour all at once. Cook, stirring constantly, until the dough dries out slightly, about 1 minute. This is important — excess moisture will cause your puffs to collapse. Remove the pan from the heat and let the dough cool for 5 minutes.

2. Stir in the eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated before adding the next. You can mix in the eggs with a mixer, food processor, or a wooden spoon to get a workout. Stir in the rum and orange zest.

3. It is best if you can let the dough rest overnight, but if you are as impatient as I am you can cook immediately. In a large, heavy saucepan, Dutch oven, or deep fryer, heat the oil to 350°F. Working in batches, drop tablespoons of dough into the hot oil and cook until golden brown, about 3–5 minutes. Remove the beignets using a wire skimmer and drain on paper towels. Roll in granulated sugar and serve still warm.

2. GOUGÈRES

I have noticed a strong resurgence in serving gougères at the beginning of a party to nibble on with a glass of wine. For the uninitiated, gougères are those billowy, addictively delicious baked cheese puffs made from pâte à choux. Gougères are the perfect vehicle for your culinary imagination. I love to eat them slightly warm or filled with a mixture of cream cheese and chives. Gougères freeze well and make an easy, elegant start to any meal.

For the uninitiated, gougères are billowy, addictively delicious baked cheese puffs made from pâte à choux, the same dough used to make profiteroles, eclairs, cream puffs, and the showpiece dessert of every French wedding and Christmas celebration, croquembouche.

Prep 10 minutes | Cook 40 minutes | Rest 5 minutes | Servings 36 Gougères

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter

• 1/2 cup water

• 1/2 cup milk

• 1/2 tsp sea salt

• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 4 large eggs

• 1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese divided

• 1 large egg yolk

• 1 tbsp water

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or buttered sheet of parchment paper.

2. In a large stainless steel saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the butter, water, milk, salt, and nutmeg. Bring to a rapid boil, stirring to combine as the butter melts. Reduce the heat to medium and, using a wooden spoon, stir in the flour all at once. Cook, stirring constantly, until the dough dries out slightly, about 1 minute. This is important — excess moisture will cause your puffs to collapse. Remove the pan from the heat and let the dough cool for 5 minutes.

3. Stir in the eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated before adding the next. You can mix in the eggs with a mixer, food processor, or a wooden spoon to get a workout. Beat in all but 2 tablespoons of the Gruyère.

4. Place the dough in a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip and pipe golf ball-sized puffs onto the prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and water. Brush the tops of the puffs lightly with the egg wash, sprinkle with the remaining Gruyère, and bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking until golden brown and dry, about 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Eat warm or serve later. They will keep at room temperature for a few hours. Reheat in a 375°F oven for 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe Notes

Using an aluminum pot to cook the dough will discolor the dough. You can make your own pastry bag by cutting a 1/2-inch snip off one corner of a large zip-top bag.

3. POMMES DAUPHINE (FRENCH POTATO PUFFS)

Pommes Dauphine are crispy little potato puffs made by mixing mashed potatoes with choux puff and then deep-frying. They go perfectly well with everything from steaks to roast chicken. Think of them as the best tater tot you will ever eat.

Prep 15 minutes | Cook 1 hour | Servings 6

For the Mashed Potatoes

• 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes peeled

• 1 tbsp sea salt

For the Choux Pastry

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter

• 1/2 cup water

• 1/2 cup milk

• 1/2 tsp sea salt

• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 4 large eggs

• 2 quarts of vegetable oil for frying

For the Mashed Potatoes

1. Bring potatoes and salt to a boil in a Dutch oven covered by 2 inches of water. Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking until soft, about 25 minutes. Drain potatoes then lay on a cookie sheet and dry out in a 400°F oven for 15 minutes. You could conversely bake the potatoes for 1 hour at 350°F, or until a paring knife easily pierces the potato.

2. Mash the potatoes using whatever method works for you. I like to use a food mill or a potato press.

For the Choux Pastry

1. In a large stainless steel saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the butter, water, milk, salt, and nutmeg. Bring to a rapid boil, stirring to combine as the butter melts. Reduce the heat to medium and, using a wooden spoon, stir in the flour all at once. Cook, stirring constantly, until the dough dries out slightly, about 1 minute. This is important — excess moisture will cause your puffs to collapse. Remove the pan from the heat and let the dough cool for 5 minutes.

2. Stir in the eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated before adding the next. You can mix in the eggs with a mixer, food processor, or a wooden spoon to get a workout.

To Finish the Puffs

1. In a large stainless steel bowl mix the mashed potatoes and choux pastry. Let cool for a few hours or overnight. It is best if you can let the dough rest overnight, but if you are as impatient as I am you can cook immediately. In a large, heavy saucepan, Dutch oven, or deep fryer, heat the oil to 350°F. Working in batches, drop tablespoons of dough into the hot oil and cook until golden brown, about 3–5 minutes. Remove the pommes Dauphine using a wire skimmer and drain on paper towels.

Recipe Notes

If you are patient and wait overnight the dough will be more solid and it will be easier to shape perfect 1-inch balls. Try adding different flavorings, shredded cheese, and even chopped green onions.