Caramel Cream Puffs with Chocolate-Peanut Butter Sauce

Steps

• 1

  In 3-quart saucepan, mix 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons water with wooden spoon. Heat over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, without stirring, until sugar turns dark golden brown and just begins to smoke. (Do not allow to burn.)
• 2

  Immediately add 2 cups whipping cream, stirring constantly with wooden spoon. (Be careful—mixture will bubble furiously and be very hot.) Reduce heat to low. Stir constantly until any lumps of sugar melt. When mixture is smooth, remove from heat and add vanilla. Pour into large bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or until cold.
• 3

  Adjust oven rack to lowest position. Heat oven to 400°F. Line cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper if desired.
• 4

  In heavy 3-quart saucepan, heat 3/4 cup water, 6 tablespoons butter, 2 teaspoons granulated sugar and the salt to boiling over medium heat. Quickly stir in flour. Mixture will form a sticky paste. Cook about 1 minute, stirring vigorously, until mixture is stiff and smooth and forms a ball. Remove from heat.
• 5

  Add 1 of the eggs and stir vigorously with spoon until smooth (it will look like the egg will not blend in, but keep stirring and it will). Once egg is blended, add remaining egg and the egg white. Stir vigorously until dough is smooth and thick.
• 6

  Spoon about 3 tablespoons dough into a mound on parchment-lined or ungreased cookie sheet. The mound should be about 2 inches wide and 1 1/2 inches high (you can also use pastry bag to pipe dough into mounds). Repeat with remaining dough, making 8 equal mounds placed at least 2 inches apart. If the mounds have peaks, wet your fingertips and smooth them down.
• 7

  Bake dough 35 to 40 minutes or until puffs are very crisp and dark golden brown. Cool puffs on wire rack, about 30 minutes.
• 8

  Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, heat brown sugar, 1 tablespoon butter and the corn syrup over medium heat, stirring constantly, until brown sugar melts and mixture bubbles. Add 1/2 cup whipping cream and stir until brown sugar dissolves and cream simmers. Remove from heat and stir in bittersweet and unsweetened chocolates until smooth. Stir in peanut butter.
• 9

  Beat cold cream mixture with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form.
• 10

  Use serrated knife to cut each cream puff in half horizontally. Divide whipped cream evenly among puffs and replace tops. Place cream puffs on serving plates and spoon sauce over tops.