Profiteroles with (Kinder)Bueno Sauce

The most delicious cream puff recipe you’ll ever make!

Delight your family and friends with these irresistible Profiteroles with Kinder Bueno Sauce! Fluffy cream puffs are filled with silky vanilla custard and drizzled with a homemade white chocolate hazelnut sauce inspired by Kinder Bueno. Perfect for your holiday table or any special occasion, these elegant treats are sure to impress!

I could not wait to share this recipe with you. I’ve been wanting to make it for years. Every time we visit the beautiful island of Crete, we go to Emma’s Café. It’s a lovely café that overlooks a lake, and they have the most beautiful and delicious desserts. They have the best cream puffs, aka profiteroles, that are absolutely divine. The homemade version looks almost identical to the ones I have over there.  They may look a little more rustic than Emma’s, but they’ll be just as dangerous!

Bueno cream is like the white chocolate version of Nutella and is very popular in Crete. If you’ve ever had a Kinder Bueno bar, the filling is a soft sauce that’s not only used in the candy bar but also as a sauce for topping ice cream and many desserts in Greece and other parts of Europe. The homemade sauce is just as beautiful and a little thicker. It’s just perfect!

Why will I make these fantastic profiteroles often?

Super light, airy,

Cream puff pastry filled with

Lusciously creamy, light

Vanilla custard topped with

Sweet, nutty, creamy,

White chocolate hazelnut spread and

Dark, bitter chocolate!

What do I need for the profiterole pastry?

Water -thins the butter and eggs to create the perfect dough consistency.

Unsalted butter -cubed to help melt without browning and to help the puff with a buttery flavor.

Granulated sugar -sweetens the pastry perfectly and helps it brown as it bakes.

Salt -enhances the sweet buttery flavor of the puff.

All-purpose flour -I haven’t tried to make these with another type of flour, but let me know if you do!

Eggs -binds everything together and helps the dough puff into a pastry.

What do I need for the cream filling?

Milk – I use whole or 2% for the base to help with the texture of the cream filling.

Corn starch -thickens the filling without the floury taste.

Sugar -I add a little to the milk while it heats to keep it from scorching. It’s a trick I learned that works perfectly.

Salt -balances the sugar and enhances the flavor of the cream.

Yolks -creates the most luscious, silky, smooth custardy filling you’ll ever eat.

Heavy whipping cream -also helps create a thick, creamy, luscious filling.

Pure vanilla extract -use a great quality extract for the best flavor.

Unsalted butter -adds fat to create the perfect consistency, and if all you have is salted butter, omit the salt above.

What can I use for garnish?

Homemade Kinder Bueno Sauce -check out my homemade recipe that you can make over a double broiler or even in the microwave. So ridiculously delicious!

Shaved dark or semi-sweet chocolate -I love melting semi-sweet chocolate to add to this dessert because the bitterness balances the sweetness of the cream and the white chocolate hazelnut spread. I just microwave it in a bowl in 30-second increments, stirring in between, until melted. Then, I drizzle it onto a parchment paper-lined baking tray and put it in the freezer until hardened. You can break it into chunks to decorate the final dessert.

Toasted hazelnuts -chopped to sprinkle over the melted chocolate or the whole dessert. If you can’t find these, almonds work well, too.

Ganache -If you don’t care for white chocolate or hazelnut spreads, drizzling ganache over these profiteroles would be amazing.

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How do I prepare the profiterole pastry?

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine the water, butter, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and add the flour all at once. Stir vigorously until the mixture forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan.

How do I add the eggs without scrambling them?

Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl and let it cool for 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition, until the dough is smooth and glossy.

How do I create individual profiteroles?

Use a piping bag or two spoons to drop small mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Dust them with confectioner’s sugar and bake both trays for 40 minutes for large profiteroles and 20-25 minutes for small ones. Switch the trays halfway through baking.

How do I prevent them from deflating?

Turn the oven off, prop the door open with a towel or oven mitts, and let the profiteroles cool. This will prevent them from deflating and from getting soggy.

How do I start the creamy custard filling?

Add the milk, salt, and half of the sugar to a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is steaming hot.

How do I temper the eggs for the filling?

Whisk the remaining sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch in a separate bowl. Slowly add a ladle of the hot milk mixture to the yolks while whisking constantly to temper them. Slowly stir the tempered yolks back into the saucepan and cook until thick and creamy.

How do I finish the cream sauce?

Remove from heat and stir in the heavy cream, vanilla, and butter. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap (pressing it directly onto the surface to prevent a skin), and refrigerate until chilled.

What’s the best way to fill the profiteroles?

Use a piping bag fitted with a small tip to fill the cream puffs with the chilled custard filling. Alternatively, slice the puffs in half and spoon in the filling.

How do I add the homemade Kinder Bueno Sauce and garnish?

Drizzle the warm Kinder Bueno sauce over the profiteroles. Garnish with shaved chocolate or the decorative chocolate you’ve made and toasted chopped hazelnuts for extra texture and flavor.

What’s the best way to serve a crowd?

Arrange the filled profiteroles on a serving platter and serve immediately for the best texture and flavor. You can serve the sauce and chocolate on the side for guests to add what they like and ensure the cream puff doesn’t get soggy before they get one. Enjoy these decadent treats with family and friends!

Can I make these ahead of time?

The cream puffs and custard filling can be made up to 2 days in advance. Store the cream puffs in an airtight container at room temperature while the filling is stored in the refrigerator. Fill and top the profiteroles just before serving for the best texture. The Kinder Bueno sauce can be prepared up to 3 days in advance. Warm slightly before drizzling over the profiteroles.

Do these freeze well?

Filled profiteroles do not freeze well, as the custard may become watery upon thawing. However, the unfilled cream puffs can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature and re-crisp in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5-7 minutes before filling.

Do you have more cream puff or puff pastry recipes?       

Kokakia: Greek Mini Cream Puff Cakes

Cream Puffs

Baklava Cinnamon Rolls in Puff Pastry

Almond Croissant Puff Pastries

Chocolate Kokakia: Mini Chocolate Cream Cakes

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