Name: Cream Puffs with Whipped Cream and Chocolate Sauce
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: German
Ingredients: 250 ml water; 1 pinch salt; 50 g butter; 150 g plain flour; 4 eggs, medium; 400 g double cream; 1 tbsp sugar; 1 sachet vanilla sugar; 2 sachet cream stabiliser (Sahnesteif); 120 g cooking chocolate, chopped (dark); 120 g sugar; 10 g cornflour; 300 ml water; 10 g butter; icing sugar (for dusting if you like, instead of the sauce)

Preparation

Bring the water, salt and butter to the boil, take the pot off the heat and stir in the flour all at once. Return to the hob and heat, stirring, until the dough forms a ball and a pale film appears on the bottom of the pot. Then leave to cool.
Beat the eggs one at a time and gradually stir them into the cooled dough until it is glossy and breaks off the spoon in a point. If it already seems smooth enough, use only part of the last egg.
Preheat the oven to 220 °C and put a small dish of hot water at the bottom to create steam.
Use two teaspoons to place small mounds well apart on a tray lined with baking paper and bake for about 30 minutes. Keep the oven door closed meanwhile, or the puffs will collapse.
Slice the puffs in half horizontally straight after baking and leave to cool.
For the sauce, bring the chocolate, sugar, cornflour and water to the boil, stir in the butter and leave the sauce to cool.
Only just before serving, whip the cream with the sugar, vanilla sugar and cream stabiliser until stiff, fill the puffs and pour the chocolate sauce over them, or dust with icing sugar.

Drink with it

Fortified wine · excellent match
Banyuls or Ruby Port, lightly chilled
Sweetness and dark berry fruit keep up with the dark chocolate sauce; a dry wine would taste bitter and thin next to it.
Port wine: understanding Ruby, Tawny, and Vintage
Cream liqueur · excellent match
Cream liqueur or chocolate cream liqueur, well chilled or on ice
The creamy liqueur carries on the cream and chocolate sauce without covering the delicate pastry.
Sparkling wine · good match
Moscato d'Asti
Delicate sweetness and fine bubbles loosen the rich cream filling, and the low alcohol does not push itself forward.
Sparkling wine, Champagne, and Prosecco: what's the difference?
Cognac and brandy · good match
Cognac VS, neat in a small glass
Vanilla and caramel notes of the cognac pick up the chocolate sauce, and the warmth balances the coolness of the cream.
Cognac and Armagnac: Two Origins for Brandy

Why it pairs well

Cream liqueur belongs more at the coffee table than on the wine list, but it extends cream and chocolate in a straight line.

Preparation

Bring the water, salt and butter to the boil, take the pot off the heat and stir in the flour all at once. Return to the hob and heat, stirring, until the dough forms a ball and a pale film appears on the bottom of the pot. Then leave to cool.
Beat the eggs one at a time and gradually stir them into the cooled dough until it is glossy and breaks off the spoon in a point. If it already seems smooth enough, use only part of the last egg.
Preheat the oven to 220 °C and put a small dish of hot water at the bottom to create steam.
Use two teaspoons to place small mounds well apart on a tray lined with baking paper and bake for about 30 minutes. Keep the oven door closed meanwhile, or the puffs will collapse.
Slice the puffs in half horizontally straight after baking and leave to cool.
For the sauce, bring the chocolate, sugar, cornflour and water to the boil, stir in the butter and leave the sauce to cool.
Only just before serving, whip the cream with the sugar, vanilla sugar and cream stabiliser until stiff, fill the puffs and pour the chocolate sauce over them, or dust with icing sugar.

Drink with it

Fortified wine · excellent match
Banyuls or Ruby Port, lightly chilled
Sweetness and dark berry fruit keep up with the dark chocolate sauce; a dry wine would taste bitter and thin next to it.
Port wine: understanding Ruby, Tawny, and Vintage
Cream liqueur · excellent match
Cream liqueur or chocolate cream liqueur, well chilled or on ice
The creamy liqueur carries on the cream and chocolate sauce without covering the delicate pastry.
Sparkling wine · good match
Moscato d'Asti
Delicate sweetness and fine bubbles loosen the rich cream filling, and the low alcohol does not push itself forward.
Sparkling wine, Champagne, and Prosecco: what's the difference?
Cognac and brandy · good match
Cognac VS, neat in a small glass
Vanilla and caramel notes of the cognac pick up the chocolate sauce, and the warmth balances the coolness of the cream.
Cognac and Armagnac: Two Origins for Brandy

Why it pairs well

Cream liqueur belongs more at the coffee table than on the wine list, but it extends cream and chocolate in a straight line.

Cream Puffs with Whipped Cream and Chocolate Sauce

Preparation

Drink with it

Banyuls or Ruby Port, lightly chilled

Cream liqueur or chocolate cream liqueur, well chilled or on ice

Moscato d'Asti

Cognac VS, neat in a small glass

This pairs well too.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Fondue with Fruit

Chocolate Pudding with Cream

Churros with Chocolate Sauce

Cream Puffs with Whipped Cream and Chocolate Sauce

Preparation

Drink with it

Banyuls or Ruby Port, lightly chilled

Cream liqueur or chocolate cream liqueur, well chilled or on ice

Moscato d'Asti

Cognac VS, neat in a small glass

This pairs well too.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Fondue with Fruit

Chocolate Pudding with Cream

Churros with Chocolate Sauce