Recipe: Profiteroles with Coffee Ice Cream

Most of the US will be firing up the ol' barbecue while trying not to fire up their neighborhood with an errant Roman Candle as they celebrate Independence Day today. While this little dessert doesn't get your espresso machine directly into the mix, it is a nice little treat that will complement the (hopefully!) hot and sunny day. Ingredients

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sifted regular flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 quart coffee ice cream
• Fudge sauce (optional topping)

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Bring the water, butter and salt to a boil in a medium sized saucepan. Reduce heat and add flour. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat.
2. Let cool just enough so that the eggs don’t cook when you add them to the ball of almost-dough, about 3-4 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. When all the eggs have been incorporated, the mixture should look shiny and smooth.
3. Transfer to a pastry bag then use a large straight tip to pipe 1-inch balls onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. If you don’t have a pastry bag and tip, you can cut the corner off a plastic zipper bag and use that instead. Or, you can just drop the batter in small mounds using spoons. Space them about 2 inches apart because they expand in the oven.
4. Bake for 25 minutes or until they’re puffy, crisp and golden. Remove from cookie sheets and let cool on a wire rack. Makes about 20 puffs.
5. Want to eat them now? Split them and put a small scoop of coffee ice cream inside. Put the tops back on. Pile them into a shallow bowl and drizzle with the chocolate sauce.
6. Want to keep them for later? Split them and put a small scoop of coffee ice cream inside. Put the tops back on. Put the filled puffs in a single layer on the cookie sheet, cover, and freeze. Let stand about 10-15 minutes to soften, then drizzle with fudge sauce before serving.