The secret to the perfect profiterole ( větrník or profiterolka in Czech ) lies in three important things:
👉 well-baked burnt dough,
👉 lightly whipped cream,
👉 and most importantly, the delicious, silky vanilla filling (egg custard).
Here are the most important pastry tips summarized, with particular emphasis on the cream:
1. The perfect burnt dough (donut base)
Without a good base, the cream cannot be effective. The following tricks will help you succeed:
Prepare the dough:
Bring the water, fat, sugar and salt to the boil. Add the flour all at once and stir until the dough comes away from the sides of the pan and a thin white layer forms on the bottom of the pan (this is called “propaling”).
Add the eggs gradually:
Let the dough cool slightly (you can even use a food processor), then add the eggs one at a time. Each egg should be fully incorporated before adding the next. The finished dough should be smooth, shiny, and hold its shape, but still soft and spreadable.
Steam baking:
This is the key to hollow, airy doughnuts. Place a heatproof bowl of hot water in the oven preheated to 200–220°C (492–424°F) (or use the steam function on your oven). The steam will help the doughnuts rise.
Never open the oven for the first 15-20 minutes!
If you do, the doughnuts will collapse immediately. Then continue baking at a lower temperature (around 160°C) until they are golden brown in the cracks.
Drying:
Once baking is complete, leave the doughnuts in the oven with the oven door slightly ajar (e.g. with a wooden spoon) for about 10 minutes. This will prevent them from collapsing.
2. The Secret of the Cream (Yellow Cream)
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