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    Home • Recipes • Ice Cream & Sorbets

    Choux Buns with Orange Caramel

    Published: Dec 19, 2011 · Modified: May 29, 2023 by Jill Colonna21 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    As you may have gathered, I'm not just mad about macarons, but also rather crazy about choux buns too. These puffs of choux pastry or profiteroles are filled with candied fruit ice cream and topped with a sticky orange caramel sauce. They are a must dessert for the festive season!

    choux buns filled with nougat ice cream and dribbling caramel candle cosy atmosphere

    Make-Ahead Dessert for the Holidays

    Don’t be put off by the long recipe. This is ridiculously easy to put together quickly and without fuss – my kind of stress-free recipe for a holiday menu.

    Each of the 3 parts can be made in advance:

    1. the caramel can keep in the fridge for up to 3 weeks;
    2. the ice cream can be made a week or two in advance - it doesn't even need an ice cream maker, plus
    3. the choux pastry can keep in the fridge for up to 5 days (so handy to have in that piping bag!)

    On the day itself, just pipe out the buns and wham them in the oven for 20 minutes. When ready to serve, simply fill them with a dollop of the ice cream and dribble on the warmed caramel.

    Decorate however you feel and let the toes curl in front of the fire.

    filled choux buns with golden caramel sauce

    Choux Buns (or Profiteroles)

    1. Boil the water, milk, orange flower water, salt, sugar and butter in a large saucepan.

    2. Once boiling, quickly add the flour and whisk until the dough is smooth and comes away from the sides of the pan.

    It's ready when the choux dough comes away from the side of the pan

    3. Transfer to a mixing bowl (or electric mixer) and gradually add the eggs. Whisk until you have a smooth paste.
    At this point, you can transfer the pastry to a piping bag and keep refrigerated for up to 5 days.

    4.  Using a piping bag (or ziplock bag with the corner snipped off with scissors), pipe out small heaps on baking trays covered in greaseproof/baking paper (or Silpat). Leave a good space between each mound, as they will spread out during baking.

    brushing egg yolk over choux pastry piped into mounds on a baking sheet

    5.  Brush with a glaze of one egg yolk mixed with a tablespoon of water.  Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes without opening the oven door. TIP: It's best to cook them slightly longer - too short and the choux buns will sink.

    • For details on making the caramel, follow my instructions for the recipe for salted caramel sauce.
    • For details on making the no-churn ice cream, follow the instructions for the recipe for Candied Fruit Ice Cream.
    individual ice cream with candied fruits on plate with lavender, apricot sauce and a macaron
    candied fruit ice cream (no-churn) is great for filling these choux buns

    Choux Buns Presentation - To Serve

    When the choux buns are cool, cut them in half and fill with a scoop or mini mold of candied fruit ice cream (French Plombières. This ice cream is also no-churn.

    Warm the orange caramel in the microwave just for a few seconds and dribble over the buns (sorry, I can't help laughing at that one: you don't dribble but the sauce should be dribbled...). Decorate with candied fruits, such as glacé orange or chopped toasted walnuts.

    2 profiteroles filled with ice cream and topped with runny golden sauce surrounded by candied fruits and toasted nuts

    profiteroles filled with ice cream and drizzled with caramel sauce

    Choux Buns with Orange Caramel Sauce

    Jill Colonna
    Filled choux buns (profiteroles) with candied fruit ice cream, topped with an orange caramel sauce - a perfect make-ahead Christmas dessert.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 30 minutes mins
    Cook Time 45 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine French
    Servings 4 people

    Equipment

    • piping bag with a plain tip or ziplock bag with corner snipped off

    Ingredients
      

    Choux Buns

    • 70 ml (3floz) water
    • 50 ml (2 floz) milk
    • 1 teaspoon orange blossom water
    • pinch sea salt fleur de sel, Maldon or Celtic
    • 1 tablespoon sugar
    • 45 g (1½oz) unsalted butter
    • 75 g (3oz) all-purpose flour T55

    Orange Caramel Sauce

    • 80 g (3oz) sugar
    • 60 g (2½oz) unsalted butter
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt fleur de sel
    • 100 g (3½oz) whipping/heavy cream (33% fat) slightly warmed
    • 1 orange zest only unwaxed/organic
    • 1 tablespoon Cointreau® or Grand Marnier®

    Candied Fruit Ice Cream (Plombières)

    • 1 quantity candied fruit ice cream

    Instructions
     

    Choux Buns (Profiteroles)

    • Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan.  Boil the water, milk, orange flower water, salt, sugar and butter in a large saucepan.
    • Once boiling, quickly add the flour and stir quickly and firmly until the dough is smooth and comes away from the sides of the pan.
    • Transfer to a mixing bowl (or electric mixer) and gradually add the eggs. Whisk until you have a lovely smooth, sticky paste.  At this point, you can transfer the pastry to a piping bag and keep refrigerated for up to 5 days.
    • Using a piping bag, pipe out small heaps on baking trays covered in greaseproof/baking paper (or Silpat) Leave a good space between each mound, as they will spread out during baking.
    • Brush with a glaze of one egg yolk mixed with a tablespoon of water. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes without opening the oven door.

    Orange Caramel Sauce

    • Put the sugar with 2 tablespoon water into a small saucepan and stir to dissolve as much as possible. Over a medium heat leave to cook without stirring until a golden syrupy caramel forms. This should take about 10 minutes.
    • Stir in the butter, still over the gentle heat and keep stirring for about 10 minutes until thickened. Don't worry if it looks like too much butter at this point: when you add the cream it will all come together.
    • Turn down the heat and add the warm cream, zest and liqueur gradually. It will look runny but that's good. Keep it bubbling away for another 5 minutes then cool.

    Candied Fruit Ice Cream (prepare separately in advance)

    • Make one quantity of ice cream - recipe link in notes below.

    Notes

    Ice Cream Filling: see the separate recipe and instructions for no-churn Candied Fruit Ice Cream (Glace Plombières).
    Orange Caramel Sauce: As the caramel cools it will thicken. It can last up to 3 weeks if stored in a sealed jar in the fridge. Just reheat slightly in the microwave when ready to serve.
    Keyword choux buns, choux puffs, Filled choux buns, profiteroles

    The original recipe was published December 16th 2011 - now adapted with Plombières ice cream.

    Many of my choux and éclair recipes have their own chapter in my second recipe book, Teatime in Paris!

    More Ice Cream & Sorbets

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    • ice cream scoop of pink sorbet in a tub
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    • cup of lemon ice cream with strawberries
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    • honey parfaits on shortbread with raspberries and a macaron
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    Jill Colonna standing in a French patisserie lab holding a giant whisk over an oversized mixer bowl

    Meet Jill Colonna

    Jill is both Scottish and French and author of the book and blog, Mad About Macarons since 2010. Here she shares over 30 years of experience of living the healthy food life with her French family in Paris - via easy recipes and local food guides in France.

    More about Jill

    Reader Interactions

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    1. Irena

      December 25, 2011 at 2:54 am

      Merry Christmas Jill, best wishes!
      Beautiful dessert as always, you are dessert master.

      Reply
    2. Amalia

      December 22, 2011 at 6:54 am

      This looks ridiculously good! Not to mention really sophisticated, which I love! This reminds me of a little cafe I often go to, they have the most beautiful, sophisticated desserts ever. This however, looks better than any of them! Happy Holidays 🙂

      Reply
    3. Dima's Kitchen

      December 22, 2011 at 3:01 am

      This is just heavenly, I am sitting here drooling over these Choux Buns!! Will be making them now!! Thank you for the recipe, really enjoyed reading this post 🙂

      Reply
    4. Lora

      December 21, 2011 at 6:30 pm

      This is just gorgeous. Wow.

      Reply
    5. Grubarazzi (@Grubarazzi)

      December 21, 2011 at 4:49 pm

      I can't believe how wonderful these look. I am in awe!

      Reply
    6. The Mom Chef ~ Taking on Magazines One Recipe at a Time

      December 21, 2011 at 4:47 pm

      Gorgeous. Unfortunately, you're wrong. The caramel may be ABLE to be stored in the fridge for up to three weeks, but there's no way it would last that long with me knowing it was in there. Caramel is my chocolate. Can't resist the stuff. This is a beautiful recipe, Jill. Merry Christmas!

      Reply
    7. Claudia

      December 21, 2011 at 4:25 pm

      I had caramel in the fridge - for 24 hours... I love this, Jill - I am thinking such splashy fun for New Year's Eve (you know the day before I resort to carrot sticks for a month). Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas. May your days be merry and bright.

      Reply
    8. Parsley Sage

      December 20, 2011 at 12:57 pm

      See, you make it SOUND easy...I'm not convinced. Ever since the great battle of Puff Pastridom in my kitchen back in June with that vol au vent recipe, I've been terrified to attempt any pastry-like dishes. This looks so good though! Worth the potential tears? I think so!

      Reply
      • Jill

        December 20, 2011 at 2:59 pm

        Och, Carlsey - it IS! No tears assured. If I can do it... Does this mean I may just have to get on a plane to Cayman and we can have fun making them together? I'm dying for an excuse to witness your Caribbean paradise! Happy holidays.

        Reply
    9. Gerry @Foodness Gracious

      December 20, 2011 at 6:38 am

      One of my fav pastries and way easier than making the mac, just sayin' 🙂 Thanks for visiting Foodness Gracious and have a great Christmas!

      Reply
      • Jill

        December 20, 2011 at 8:34 am

        You too, Gerry. Although the mac is a lot easier than you think - you'll see.
        Here's to many macarons in 2012 🙂

        Reply
    10. parisbreakfast

      December 19, 2011 at 11:34 pm

      OMG
      Sheer unadulterated torture!
      I love yr comment,
      'the caramel can keep in the fridge for up to 3 weeks'
      Ha!
      Not in my fridge.
      Is that a Scottish expression,
      'Let your toes curl with...'
      ???
      I think my toes may be curled

      Reply
      • Jill

        December 20, 2011 at 8:37 am

        You're too funny, Carol. Perhaps it is a Scottish expression but I find that the toes curl quite often on things like this and rose macarons with Champagne for a bit of decadence! Aha - the caramel trick is to hide it behind the yogurts at the back and pretend it's finished. Make more with a different flavour and we constantly have some surprises... Happy holidays!

        Reply
    11. Ivy

      December 19, 2011 at 5:12 pm

      These look delicious. My children love choux buns and I haven't made them for a very long time. Happy Holidays!

      Reply
      • Jill

        December 19, 2011 at 5:32 pm

        All the best, Ivy. Season's Greetings and here's to you making choux again - and macarons? 😉

        Reply
    12. Biren @ Roti n Rice

      December 19, 2011 at 4:05 pm

      Mad about Macarons, Crazy for Choux...is that going to be a new cookbook? 🙂 These look very sweet and yummy! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, Jill!

      Reply
      • Jill

        December 19, 2011 at 5:30 pm

        Hehee. Good one, Biren. You, too. Wishing you a wonderful Christmas full of goodies.

        Reply
    13. Roxana GreenGirl {A little bit of everything}

      December 19, 2011 at 2:20 pm

      I love choux and your buns look amazing Jill. Loved your guest post on Nami's blog!
      Happy Holidays Jill!

      Reply
      • Jill

        December 19, 2011 at 5:31 pm

        Roxana, enjoy yourself to the full!

        Reply
    14. Gursahiba @ Exquisite Niche

      December 19, 2011 at 9:04 am

      I usually make chocolate eclairs but this is a nice alternative. Nice recipe and interesting blog!

      Reply
      • Jill

        December 19, 2011 at 11:44 am

        Thanks for dropping in, Gursahiba. We also love chocolate eclairs - the choux pastry, though, is so handy for all sorts of desserts, eh?

        Reply

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