Ever since I can remember my favorite ice cream has been Haagen Dazs Coffee.  In elementary school, I recall going around the room and everyone announcing what their best-loved flavor was.  After hearing the masses say chocolate, vanilla or the occasional strawberry, I confidently proclaimed coffee and witnessed a sea of blank stares looking back at me.  Also, when I was little, I would ask my Grandmother for a sip of her coffee.  She would tell me that coffee would turn my eyes black.  Having dark brown eyes, she’d then say, “Oh, it’s to late.”

It’s funny that I’m not a coffee drinker, but I adore the flavor and the smell of coffee.  If we are eating out, once in a great while I’ll have a cup of coffee after dessert.  I ask the waitress for a little coffee with my cream and for plenty of room.  Michael’s eyes nearly roll back in his head when he takes a sip of the overly sweet and creamy brew.

Speaking of coffee ice cream.  I recently came across a recipe for Profiteroles.  I have never had one before, nor did I know what they were, but the photo told me they are little cream puffs sandwiches with ice cream in the middle and chocolate sauce on top.  The official recipe title: Profiteroles with Coffee Ice Cream and Chocolate Caramel Sauce.  Holly $&^%!  Coffee ice cream AND chocolate caramel sauce?  They look like little bites of pure wonderfulness and I must try them out ASAP!  I discovered I had all the fixins to make them, and so today became the day to try them out.

The dough is referred to as a choux pastry and is the same easy dough that cream puffs are made from.  The down side in my opinion is the use of a pastry bag.  Although I can see the purpose, I’m not a fan of them and haven’t quite got the system down so I don’t have filling everywhere.  Plus my hands really cramp from the endless squeezing.  I didn’t have the proper pastry bag tip (mine was to small) and I thought for sure they would not turn out.  Also, I use extra large eggs (an Ina Garten tip) and two of my three eggs had a double yolk.  I carefully removed one yolk from a double set and left the other double yolk in.  How does this affect baking?  If someone could tell me, I’d greatly appreciate it.

As I said, I thought for sure they would not turn out, but they did.  As the puffs cooled, I moved on to the chocolate caramel sauce.  I was a little nervous, as working with sugar and chocolate can be tricky.  The sauce turned out as well but was not the same pourable consistency (able to pour in a thin stream) as in the recipe photo.  Perhaps the sauce was beginning to cool and was thickening.  An official taste test was in order.  Not to shabby!  I feel quite gourmet and pleased with myself only because they look so impressive and could easily be on a fancy pants restaurant dessert menu.  I’m hosting some girlfriends for dinner in a few weeks before we go to the midnight showing of The Hunger Games.  Perhaps I shall impress them with these for dessert.  To bad they are not portable, as it would be fun to eat them at the movie.

Bon Appétit!

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Profiteroles-with-Coffee-Ice-Cream-241770