A round trip from Italy to France.
Soft, fluffy, and super filled. Choux pastry puffs are among the timeless classics of French pâtisserie.
In Italy, the dessert was embraced and reinterpreted: in its most popular version, the cream puffs are completely covered in dark chocolate and arranged in a pyramid, creating a spectacular and irresistible sweet that, over time, has taken on different names and shapes across the country.
APPARENTLY THE NAME “PROFITEROLES” COMES FROM FRENCH WORD USED TO SAY “SMALL PROFIT”, ALLUDING TO THE FACT THAT THOSE ORIGINAL BREAD BALLS WERE “SOLD” BY SMALL TRADERS.
THE “CLASSIC” VERSION HAS THEM FILLED WITH CREAM AND TOPPED WITH DARK CHOCOLATE AND ARRANGED IN THE TYPICAL “MOUNTAIN” SHAPE.
IN TUSCANY THEY TAKE THE NAME OF “BONGO”, WHILE IN MESSINA, IN SICILY, THEY ARE CALLED “BLACK AND WHITE”; FURTHERMORE, THEY ARE USED TO DECORATE SAINT-HONORÈ CAKE.
ACCORDING TO LEGEND, THE ORIGIN GOES BACK TO THE FRENCH COURT OF CATERINA DE’ MEDICI, WHO MARRIED HENRY II IN 1540. WHEN CATERINA MOVED FROM FLORENCE, SHE WANTED IN TOW A PERSONAL CHEF, THE ITALIAN POPELINI, WHO CREATED THE CHOUX DOUGH FOR THE PUFFS, FROM WHICH THE AFOREMENTIONED DESSERT CAME FROM.
