recipe / chocolate covered profiteroles (cream puffs)

i have had these sweet morsels of goodness accompany most big events throughout my life. for starters, we have them every christmas eve, and most other holidays. they are seriously delicious and can really replace any meal, breakfast lunch or dinner. you are probably going to want to double the recipe, they will go fast!

Chocolate Covered Profiteroles (Cream Puffs)

Puffs:

1 c. water

1 c. flour

1/2 c. butter

4 eggs

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Heat water and butter to rolling boil. Stir in flour. Stir vigorously over low hear until mixture forms a ball, about 1 min. Remove from heat. Beat in eggs, all at once, until smooth. Drop dough by scant 1/4 cupfuls about 3 in. apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until puffed and golden, 35-40 mins. Cool away from draft. Cut off tops; pull out any filaments of soft dough. Fill puffs with cream filling. Top with chocate ganache.

Cream filling:

prepare small instant vanilla pudding. whip 1 pint of cream and fold it in to the vanilla pudding.

chocolate ganache:

heat 1 square (1 oz.) unsweetened chocolate and 1 t. butter over low heat until melted. remove from heat. stir in 1 c. powdered sugar and about 2 tbsp. hot water. beat until smooth and of spreading consistency. if you like lots of chocolate, double the recipe (we alw