Crisp Profiteroles

Asked on 7 Nov 2016 by Wendy

Hello Lindsey

I hope all is well with you and yours. This question is after the event, so a bit too late to do anything.

I made some profiteroles on Saturday for use yesterday. I stored them in an airtight tin but they were so limp by the time I needed them. Is there anything that could have been done to rescue them or crisp them up in anyway? As a bit more help to you I had to use plain flour when strong flour was recommended; I was using two baking sheets so changed them round half way; they were very golden, in fact, the edge of one or two were slightly burnt.

Could either of those things had an effect?

Best wishes

Wendy x

My guests ate them and declared them still very good.

Lindsey, Food Editor replied

Hi Wendy,

We’re all good thank you and hope you are too.

Softening choux is very common, perhaps inevitable!

Strong flour does help but isn’t essential. It sounds like you cooked them enough and presumably you released the steam and crisped them too and that they were cool before you stored them.

Really the issue is that they don’t stay crisp for long. When I make them ahead I freeze them as soon as they’re cold, then pop them in a hot oven for 4 – 5 minutes to crisp them before I use them, with just enough time to cool and fill before I serve. Or if you make them the day before and store in an airtight container you can pop them in a hot oven for a couple of minutes.

Best wishes

Lindsey x

Wendy replied

I'll try freezing them the next time or make them on the day if there's time. Thank you for all your help and advice. Just as a bit of a PS I also served the pesto rice salad but made with red pesto, and that went down a treat, too. Wendy xx