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    Home » Blog posts by Rosanna ETC » Food

    Cranberry & Whipped Brie Christmas Profiteroles

    Published: Dec 5, 2022 · Modified: May 10, 2023 by Rosanna Stevens · This post may contain affiliate links · 6 Comments

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    These delicious cranberry and whipped brie Christmas profiteroles are the perfect holiday appetizer. Hand them around as a savory Christmas canape at parties and watch as guests expect a sweet filling and get Brie cheese and cranberry instead!

    This is a great festive appetizer to serve at parties as you can make the Christmas profiteroles ahead of time and freeze them until you are ready to pipe them with the savory choux bun filling and serve.

    A canape platter with cranberry and whipped brie profiteroles on it surrounded by Christmas decorations.
    Jump to:
    • What are profiteroles?
    • Why this is the best recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Expert tip
    • Baking profiteroles
    • Expert tip
    • Wine pairing for Brie and cranberry profiteroles
    • Equipment
    • Storage
    • FAQ
    • Other festive recipes
    • Recipe Card

    What are profiteroles?

    Profiteroles are small, round balls made from choux pastry piped with a creamy filling that originated in France. Traditionally, profiteroles are a dessert, and the choux buns have a sweet filling (usually a Creme Diplomat) and are then dipped in chocolate ganache.

    However, profiteroles can be savory too! Savory profiteroles are a favorite party canape of mine, I also make a whipped goat cheese profiterole recipe that goes down a storm!

    Why this is the best recipe

    1. Festive: Brie and cranberry are such a traditional Christmas flavor combination, but these whipped brie and cranberry bites are a bit more unusual and perfect for a special occasion.
    2. Bite-size: These Christmas profiteroles are the perfect bite-sized canape and they are self-contained so a lot less messy than other cheese appetizers.
    3. Simple: Choux buns can panic a lot of people, but I find choux pastry to be a lot simpler than some other patisserie work. You'll get the hang of this easy choux pastry recipe in no time!
    4. No complex kit or ingredients: You will already have all the ingredients for choux pastry in the fridge or pantry, and you don't need any fancy equipment either.

    Ingredients

    Choux pastry does not contain any difficult ingredients, and is actually a lot simpler to make than people think! This easy choux pastry recipe is ready in about 20 minutes and then the choux buns can be stored until you need to fill them.

    Ingredients for cranberry and whipped brie Christmas profiteroles on a table. Plain flour, eggs, brie, butter, water, salt, sugar, cream cheese and cranberry sauce.

    For the choux buns

    1. All-purpose flour: Also known as plain flour, all-purpose flour is a medium-strength all-rounder that provides structure and form to these Christmas profiteroles with savory filling.
    2. Butter: There is a small amount of butter in profiteroles that adds delicious flavor, richness and tenderness to the choux pastry. Always use unsalted butter to control both the quantity and quality of salt in a recipe.
    3. Water: Steam is the rising agent in profiteroles so the water in choux pastry plays an essential role in making them puff up and create space for the cranberry and whipped brie savory filling.
    4. Salt: To enhance the buttery flavors in the choux buns we use a small amount of salt in the pastry.
    5. Granulated sugar: We also use a pinch of sugar, to balance it all out perfectly. Choux pastry is traditionally neutral in flavor, so the fillings are the main characters, even if making sweet desserts like chocolate profiteroles!
    6. Eggs: Eggs are a binding agent and have leavening qualities too, in addition to moisture and richness. Eggs are essential in making choux buns, and you should always use room-temperature eggs in baking.

    For the whipped brie and cranberry filling:

    1. Brie: Deliciously strong Brie cheese is the main event in these Christmas profiteroles with savory filling.
    2. Cream cheese: To make the whipped brie filling richer and easier to whip, we mix it with cream cheese. Use full-fat, good-quality cream cheese.
    3. Cranberry sauce: It is best to use a smooth cranberry jelly or sauce in this savory profiteroles recipe as otherwise, the bits can get stuck in the piping bag and cause you problems. If you only have chunky cranberry sauce, blend it with an immersion blender or food processor first.

    See the recipe card for quantities and full directions on how to make savory profiteroles with whipped brie and cranberry filling.

    Instructions

    Easy choux pastry

    1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius / 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
    2. Heat the water, butter, sugar, and salt together in a saucepan over medium heat and bring it just to boiling point.
    3. Sieve the flour and add it into the water mixture off the heat, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon or spatula to form a smooth paste. 
    4. Return the saucepan to the stove and continue to stir the mixture for around 5 minutes over low heat to cook out the flour. It will form a smooth, shiny ball that holds its shape together if you roll it around the saucepan (see video).
    5. Cool the mixture down by turning it out into a glass bowl and put it in the fridge for a few minutes, or spread it out onto a cool, clean surface.
    6. Whisk the eggs together and add slowly into the dough, stirring continuously so it incorporates and forms a silky, glossy mixture that is loose enough to slowly drop off a spoon.
    Choux pastry in a bowl with a rubber spatula.

    Expert tip

    It is important to completely cook out the flour once you have added it to the water and butter mixture, do not rush this stage, or the profiteroles will not rise properly. Only then can we add the eggs and finish the choux pastry.

    Baking profiteroles

    1. Pipe your profiteroles. Put the choux pastry into a piping bag and cut 1cm from the end. Pipe small mounds of the choux pastry onto a lined baking tray, leaving a gap between each one.
    2. Flick a tablespoon of water over the choux buns to help them rise, and dab a wet finger onto the tip left by the piping nozzle to flatten them out.
    3. Bake the profiteroles in the oven for 19 minutes until they are golden brown. Be governed by color rather than time; as all ovens vary, they may need more time.
    4. Take the profiteroles out of the oven and carefully make a piping hole in the bottom using the tip of a sharp knife. Put the profiteroles back in the oven to dry out for one or two more minutes with the holes facing upwards.
    Empty choux buns on a baking tray.

    Filling profiteroles

    1. Make your Christmas profiteroles filling.  Cut the rind off the brie and then cut it into small chunks. Whisk it together with the cream cheese until smooth and fully incorporated, and place it in a piping bag. Put the cranberry sauce in another piping bag.
    2. Pipe the profiterole filling. Pipe a small amount of cranberry sauce into the savory profiteroles first, and then pipe in the whipped brie.

    Expert tip

    If you are struggling to whip brie, separate the mixture into two parts and do them one by one. Brie is a very thick cheese, so it can be hard to blend. Using an immersion blender can sometimes be easier than an electric hand whisk.

    A platter of whipped brie and cranberry profiteroles with wine glasses, napkins and Christmas decorations around it.

    Wine pairing for Brie and cranberry profiteroles

    Enjoy your festive profiteroles with a glass of Beaujolais from the Southern Burgundy region of France, the perfect wine pairing for Brie and cranberry profiteroles. To learn more, read my post on food and wine pairing tips.

    Equipment

    You will need a large mixing bowl to combine your ingredients for these savory Christmas profiteroles, as well as a medium-sized saucepan, to cook your choux pastry in the initial stage.

    I weigh all of my ingredients on a digital scale for accuracy, and I do not rely on measuring by volume (like the cup system) as it can be imprecise.

    You will also need several piping bags to pipe choux buns onto a baking tray and for the savory profiterole filling.

    Love cheese and cranberry flavors? Try these goat cheese and cranberry macarons.

    Storage

    Store leftover whipped brie and cranberry Christmas profiteroles in an airtight container for 2-3 days before filling. Otherwise, store any filled profiteroles in the fridge.

    You can freeze choux buns easily, and I like to defrost them thoroughly and then warm them in the oven for 10-15 minutes to crisp them up again before filling them. Filled choux buns do not freeze well.

    FAQ

    Why did my profiteroles not rise?

    This is probably because you did not cook out the flour enough in the saucepan before adding the eggs to the choux pastry mix. Also, check that you added the correct amount of water, as steam is the rising agent in profiteroles, so they need moisture in the bake.

    Will profiteroles keep overnight?

    Filled profiteroles will go soft within a few hours, so they are best enjoyed straight away.

    Can you freeze profiteroles?

    You can freeze profiteroles before they are filled. Do not freeze filled profiteroles.

    What pastry for profiteroles?

    Profiteroles are made with choux pastry, which is a rich pastry made from flour, water, butter, and eggs.

    What is choux pastry?

    Choux pastry is a rich, high-moisture pastry. The moisture in choux pastry evaporates and creates steam as it bakes, puffing it up and forming pockets.

    I'm making profiteroles, which flour?

    All-purpose or plain flour is the best flour to use in profiteroles.

    Other festive recipes

    • Snowman macarons.
      Snowman Macarons With Cinnamon Buttercream Filling
    • Sweet shortcrust pastry cookies
      Sweet Shortcrust Pastry Cookies With Cinnamon & Orange
    • Savoury macarons with a goat cheese and cranberry filling on a wooden chopping board surrounded by fairy lights and a sparkly Christmas wreath.
      Festive Savoury Macarons With Goat Cheese And Cranberry
    • Baked pain au chocolate pudding in a serving dish.
      Baked Pain Au Chocolat Pudding

    Recipe Card

    Cranberry and whipped brie Christmas profiteroles.

    Cranberry & Whipped Brie Christmas Profiteroles

    Delicious savory profiteroles with whipped brie and cranberry filling. These Christmas profiteroles make the perfect Christmas appetizer or canape.
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Filling time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 50 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer, Snack
    Cuisine French
    Servings 30 profiteroles
    Calories 123 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 medium size saucepan
    • 2 lined baking trays
    • 2 Mixing bowls
    • 3 piping bags

    Ingredients
     
     

    Savoury profiteroles

    • 50 grams unsalted butter
    • 150 ml water
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon sugar
    • 65 grams all purpose flour flour
    • 2 eggs use large, room temperature eggs

    Savoury profiteroles filling

    • 400 grams Brie cheese
    • 400 grams Cream cheese
    • 150 grams Cranberry sauce
    • Salt and Pepper

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius / 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
    • Heat the water, butter, sugar and salt together in a saucepan and bring it to boiling point. Break the butter into small chunks so that the water doesn't boil before it has melted into it. 
    • Sieve the flour and add it into the water mixture off the heat, stirring vigourously to form a smooth paste. 
    • Return the saucepan over medium heat and continue to stir the mixture for a few minutes to cook out the flour. It will form a smooth, shiny ball that holds its shape together if you roll it around the saucepan (see video).
    • Cool the mixture by turning it out into a glass bowl and put in the fridge for a few minutes, or spread it out onto a cool, clean surface.
    • Whisk the eggs together and add slowly into the choux pastry mixture, stirring continuously so it incorporates and forms a silky, glossy mixture that just drops off a spoon.
    • Pipe your profiteroles. Put the choux pastry into a piping bag and cut 1cm from the end. Pipe small mounds of the choux pastry onto a lined baking tray, leaving a gap between each one.
    • Flick a tablespoon of water over the choux buns to help them rise.
    • Bake the profiteroles in the oven for 20 minutes until they are golden brown. Be governed by colour rather than time, as all ovens vary, they may need more time.
    • Take the profiteroles out of the oven and carefully make a piping hole in the bottom rising the end of a sharp knife. Put the profiteroles back in the oven to dry out for one or two more minutes with the holes facing upwards.
    • Make your Christmas profiteroles filling. Cut all of the rind off the Brie cheese and then cut it into small chunks. Place the brie and cream cheese into a bowl with the cream cheese and use an electric whisk to blend them together until smooth. Move it in a piping bag, and put the cranberry sauce into another piping bag.
    • Pipe the profiterole filling: Pipe a small amount of cranberry sauce into the savory profiteroles first, and then pipe in the whipped brie.

    Video

    Nutrition

    Calories: 123kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 4gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 169mgPotassium: 46mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 318IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 40mgIron: 0.3mg
    Keyword cheese profiteroles, Christmas profiteroles, Savory profiteroles
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Helen says

      December 05, 2022 at 4:27 pm

      5 stars
      These were so delicious!! The guests at our Christmas party loved them and were all so impressed, even though it was a lot easier to make them then I thought it would be

      Reply
    2. Jere Cassidy says

      December 05, 2022 at 7:03 pm

      5 stars
      So yum! It never occurred to me you could whip brie. I will be using that technique for other recipes.

      Reply
    3. Traci says

      December 05, 2022 at 8:24 pm

      5 stars
      Ooh I have been on a cranberry kick this week! Cranberry and Brie? Heavenly! Love how beautiful they turned out! Perfect for our holiday parties!

      Reply
    4. MacKenzie says

      December 06, 2022 at 4:08 am

      5 stars
      Such a beautiful recipe. Can’t wait to make Christmas.

      Reply
    5. Emma says

      December 06, 2022 at 6:35 am

      5 stars
      Oh my goodness what a treat! The whipped brie filling is such a delicious indulgence and pairs perfectly with cranberries.

      Reply
    6. Shelby says

      December 06, 2022 at 2:24 pm

      5 stars
      This is such an amazing appetizer, not only for the classic combo of brie and cranberries but because of the color combo inside too!

      Reply

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    Hi! I'm Rosanna, a trained chef, wine enthusiast, former event director, and style fanatic. At rosannaetc.com, I share seasonal dinner party recipes, wine pairings, and hosting tips. If you love to entertain in style, you've come to the right place!

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