Plump profiteroles stuffed with mincemeat and vanilla cream and drenched in brandy caramel? Oh, hello, new favourite dessert!
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Yields:
6 serving(s)
Prep Time:
30 mins
Cook Time:
40 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 10 mins
Cal/Serv:
653
Ingredients
70g
butter
85g
plain flour
3
medium eggs, beaten
175ml
double cream
1tsp.
vanilla bean paste
150g
mincemeat
FOR THE CARAMEL
70g
butter
120g
light brown soft sugar
75ml
double cream
3Tbsp.
brandy
Directions
Step 1Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6 and line a large baking tray with baking parchment. Put butter in a pan with 150ml water and heat over a gentle heat until the butter has melted. As soon as the water is simmering, remove from heat and quickly add the flour, beating well to create a smooth paste. Return to the heat and cook for 1-2min, until the mixture is smooth and glossy and coming away from the side of the pan.
Step 2Transfer the mixture to a stand mixer and beat for 1min, then add the beaten eggs little by little, beating well between each addition. Continue until the mixture is thick and glossy and coming away from the sides of the bowl. You may not need all of the beaten egg.
Step 3Transfer the mix to a disposable piping bag and snip off the end at around 1cm. Pipe 18 small rounds on the baking tray, spacing them apart to allow them to rise. Bake in the oven for 20min, until puffed up and golden, then reduce the heat to 140°C (120°C fan) mark 1 and continue to cook for 8-10mins, or until dried out. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Step 4For the caramel, put the butter, sugar and cream in a pan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a simmer and simmer gently for 3-4min. Add the brandy (taking care as it will bubble up), stirring to combine, then remove from the heat.
Step 5To fill the profiteroles, whisk the cream with the vanilla-bean paste to soft peaks and transfer to a piping bag. Put the mincemeat in another piping bag. Cut a slit in the side of each profiterole and fill each with a dollop of mincemeat and then some cream, until full.
Step 6Place the filled profiteroles on a serving plate and drizzle over the brandy caramel.
GH TIPs:
Make the choux buns the day before and store, unfilled, in an airtight container. Re-crisp in the oven (same temperature) for 6-8min if very soft. Unfilled buns can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost, then re-crisp in the oven for 8-10min.
A crack team of highly skilled food content producers, the GH Kitchen Team are Good Housekeeping’s resident recipe developers and all-round food obsessives. GH Kitchen Director Sarah Akhurstis our resident hosting pro and loves nothing more than putting on a foodie feast for friends. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time. With a wealth of professional kitchen experience between them, they’re dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work every single time.
Sarah is Good Housekeeping's Kitchen and Homes Director, looking after all things food and homes for the brand. Sarah started her career in journalism, then retrained as a chef 15 years ago following a lifelong dream to work in food. Since retraining, she has worked as a private chef, assisted on tv commercials, created recipes for some of the country's leading brands and became the go-to birthday and wedding cake baker in her friends and family network. In 2025, she was shortlisted for Cookery Writer of the Year by the Guild of Food Writers