Best Chocolate Hazelnut Cream Puffs Recipes

CHOCOLATE CREAM PUFFS WITH HAZELNUT FILLING (PAULA DEEN)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a medium saucepan, combine water, butter, and salt. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Using a wooden spoon, beat in flour, cocoa, and cinnamon, stirring constantly, until mixture forms a ball. Remove pan from heat, and let cool for 5 minutes.
• Beat in eggs, one at a time, at medium speed with an electric mixer until mixture is smooth.
• Spoon or pipe dough into 10 (2-inch) mounds onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 30 to 33 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Set aside to cool.
• Cut cream puffs in half horizontally. Remove soft dough from inside. Spoon Nutella into bottoms of cream puffs; top each evenly with strawberries, and sprinkle with hazelnuts. Cover with tops of cream puffs. Garnish with fresh mint leaves, if desired.
• Note about Cream Puffs (Pate a Choux) - The Pâte à choux dough is baked immediately in a well preheated oven to ensure the greatest expansion and lightness. When baked, the starches in the flour and proteins in the egg coagulate and eventually brown on the outside. During baking, the crust traps steam inside, generated from the moisture in its ingredients and hot air from the oven, plus leavening from the beaten eggs. It is this principle, that causes them to become inflated, hollow and stay puffy. A properly baked choux retains its puffy shape, with a hollow interior with an outside that is crisp and fairly dry, with an all over golden color. When broken apart, it should have a slightly moist crumb on the inside. However, if they are removed from the oven too soon, the structure of the shell has not solidified, and it will collapse. However, when you think they are done take one out of the oven and check it by breaking open and checking the interior walls. If wet and eggy, return to the oven as necessary. Remove when done and cool on a wire rack.

CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT CREAM PUFFS

Steps:

• For filling, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese and 2 tablespoons sugar until smooth. Gradually beat in Nutella and cream until blended. Stir in nuts. Cover and refrigerate., In another bowl, combine the flour, cocoa and remaining sugar. In a large saucepan, bring water, butter and salt to a boil. Add flour mixture all at once and stir until a smooth ball forms. Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and shiny. , Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until set and browned. Remove to wire racks. Immediately split puffs open; remove and discard soft dough from inside. Cool completely. , Spoon filling into cream puffs; replace tops. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Refrigerate leftovers.

CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT CREAM PUFFS

Steps:

• For filling, in a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and 2 tablespoons sugar until smooth. Gradually beat in hazelnut spread and cream until blended. Stir in nuts. Cover and refrigerate.
• In a bowl, combine the flour, cocoa and remaining sugar. In a large saucepan, bring water, butter and salt to a boil. Add flour mixture all at once and stir until a smooth ball forms. Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and shiny. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto greased baking sheets.
• Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until set and browned. Remove to wire racks. Immediately split puffs open; remove and discard soft dough from inside. Cool completely. Spoon filling into cream puffs; replace tops. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 2 dozen.