Salted Caramel Profiteroles with Chocolate Sauce

steps

1. Make the profiteroles: In a medium saucepan over high heat, combine 6 tablespoons water, milk, butter, and salt and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low, add flour, and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon. Cook until dough pulls away from side of pan, 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Remove saucepan from heat and let stand for 2 minutes, stirring a few times to cool dough. Add eggs one at a time, beating constantly and thoroughly with a wooden spoon between additions (the dough should be smooth and shiny).
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Transfer dough to a pastry bag fitted with a ½-inch plain tip. Pipe dough into twenty-four mounds— 1½-inches each and 1 inch apart—on baking sheet. Bake for about 25 minutes, until tops and bottoms are golden. Set aside to cool before filling.
4. Assemble profiteroles: Using a skewer, poke a small hole in the bottom of each puff. Place custard in a piping bag fitted with a ¼-inch plain tip and pipe into hole of each puff until full. Dip each into chocolate sauce, sprinkle with garnishes, and serve.

Caramel Custard

• 1 large egg plus 2 large egg yolks
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• 2 cups whole milk, divided
• 1½ cups sugar
• ½ lemon
• 2 tablespoons salted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon sea salt

1. In a medium bowl, whisk egg, egg yolks, cornstarch, and ½ cup milk until smooth.
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, ¼ cup water, and squeeze of lemon juice, swirling pan until sugar dissolves. Cook, undisturbed, until a deep-amber caramel forms, about 5 minutes. (Sugar should reach 340 to 350 degrees.) Remove saucepan from heat and whisk in butter; be careful, it will bubble up. While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in remaining 1½ cups milk until blended; the mixture may separate a little. Slowly whisk in the egg mixture and bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat, stirring, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in vanilla and sea salt.
3. Strain caramel custard through a fine mesh strainer into a heatproof bowl. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto surface of custard and refrigerate until completely chilled.

Chocolate Sauce

• ¼ cup whole milk
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons cocoa
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• ½ tablespoon room temperature salted butter
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine milk, cream, cocoa, corn syrup, and sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, then stir in butter and chocolate until melted and sauce is smooth.