Bourbon Praline Profiteroles
OK, in my wildest dreams I couldn’t come up with a more perfect dessert for myself. Bourbon, ice cream, buttermilk, pecans, and light, buttery-crispy profiteroles; it doesn’t get any better for me (except for maybe the Blueberry Lemon Crêpes, page 198 . . . oh, and the Blackberry Soufflé, page 196). For some reason my sweet tooth always leans toward anything southern, and anything with bourbon in it is all right by me.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 8 profiteroles with 1 quart ice cream; serves 4 or 8
Ingredients
Buttermilk Praline Ice Cream
Profiteroles
Bourbon Toffee Sauce
Preparation
Step 1
To make the ice cream, prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and water and nestling a medium bowl in the ice.
Step 2
Bring the cream and vanilla bean and seeds to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Step 3
Whisk together the yolks and sugar in a medium bowl until the mixture is pale and thick. Slowly whisk the warm cream into the yolk mixture. Remove the vanilla bean, return the entire mixture to the saucepan, and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture coats the back of the spoon, about 3 minutes. Strain the mixture into the bowl set inside the ice bath, add the buttermilk and vanilla, and stir until it is very cold, about 5 minutes.
Step 4
Transfer the chilled mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Scrape the ice cream into a large bowl and fold in the pralines. Cover tightly and store in the freezer until firm, at least 4 hours.
Step 5
To make the profiteroles, position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spray the parchment lightly with cooking spray.
Step 6
Bring the butter, 3/4 cup water, 1 tablespoon of the sugar, and the salt to a boil in a small heavy saucepan over high heat, stirring until the butter is melted. Reduce the heat to medium, add the flour all at once, and cook, beating with a wooden spoon, until the mixture pulls away from the side of the pan and forms a ball, about 30 seconds.
Step 7
Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, and mix until the mixture is smooth.
Step 8
Scrape the mixture into a large pastry bag fitted with a 3/4-inch plain tip and pipe eight disks (about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and about 1/2 inch thick) onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them at least 1 1/2 inches apart. Brush the tops with the milk and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.
Step 9
Bake the profiteroles for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F and continue to bake until the profiteroles are golden, puffed, and crisp, about 15 minutes. Turn off the oven. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, immediately pierce the side of each profiterole with the tip of a paring knife, and return to the oven to dry, propping the door slightly ajar, for 5 minutes. Halve a profiterole horizontally: If it is still moist inside, return the profiteroles to the oven and continue to dry with the door ajar for 5 minutes more. Cool the profiteroles completely on the baking sheet set on a wire rack, at least 25 minutes. The profiteroles can be made 1 day in advance. Store in a container with a tight-fitting lid. Crisp on a baking sheet in a preheated 350°F oven for a few minutes. Let cool before proceeding.
Step 10
Spoon some of the sauce into the bottom of large shallow bowls. Halve the profiteroles horizontally and fill the bottoms with scoops of the ice cream; replace the tops. Spoon more sauce on top and garnish with chopped praline.
Bourbon Toffee Sauce
Step 11
Pour the cream into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat.
Step 12
Combine the sugar and 1/4 cup water in a medium saucepan over high heat and cook without stirring until a deep amber brown color, about 6 minutes. Add the corn syrup and bourbon and cook, stirring carefully, for 1 minute.
Step 13
Slowly whisk in the warm cream (the mixture will bubble up) and whisk until smooth. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla and butter. The sauce can be made 2 days in advance and stored covered in the refrigerator. Reheat slowly over low heat or in the microwave.
