- 3/4 cup water
- 5 ounces butter, cut into pieces
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup flour
- 5 large eggs, beaten until smooth
- Cooking spray
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup corn syrup
- 1 tablespoon molasses or corn syrup
- 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 quart vanilla ice cream
- Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a 3- to 4-quart saucepan, bring 3/4 cup water, the butter, milk, sugar and salt to a boil over medium heat, stirring, until the butter melts. Dump in the flour and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan and forms a rough-looking ball. Continue cooking for 3 minutes: Using the spoon, press and smear the paste over the bottom of the pan, collect into a ball, smear it again and repeat. Remove the pan from the heat and stir the dough for 1 minute more.
- Scrape the dough into a food processor and, with the machine running, slowly pour in the beaten eggs in a steady stream, about 45 seconds. Process until smooth, about 15 seconds.
- Spray 2 baking sheets with cooking spray or line with parchment paper. Using 2 soup spoons, scoop 16 mounds of dough onto the baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Dip a clean spoon or your finger in water and smooth the tops.
- Place 1 baking sheet on each rack and bake for 10 minutes. Reverse the sheets and continue baking for 10 minutes. Turn off the oven and let the puffs sit for 12 minutes. Then prop open the oven door with a spoon and let the puffs sit in the oven for 15 minutes longer.
- Remove the puffs and, using a serrated knife, halve horizontally. In a large saucepan, bring the heavy cream, corn syrup and molasses to a simmer, stirring occasionally, over medium heat. Add the chocolate and remove from the heat. Stir until the chocolate has melted, then stir in the vanilla and cinnamon.
- Set a few cream puffs on each dessert plate. Scoop ice cream onto the base of each puff. Set the top of each puff over the ice cream and drizzle with the chocolate sauce.