Black Forest Cherry Choux Sundaes

Ingredients

Choux shells

• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup (57 g) unsalted butter
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• ⅛ tsp fine salt
• ½ cup (65 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs, beaten together

Cherry compote

• 1½ cups frozen pitted dark sweet cherries
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp cold water

Chocolate and assembly

• 2 oz (55 g) dark chocolate, finely chopped
• ¼ cup heavy cream, for sauce
• ½ cup cold heavy cream, for whipping
• 1 tbsp powdered sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups vanilla ice cream

Equipment

Saucepan, sturdy spoon, baking sheet, piping bag or two spoons, hand mixer

Allergens and ingredient notes: Wheat, egg, milk; check chocolate and ice cream labels.

Step by step

1. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment. Bring shell water, butter, shell sugar, and salt to a full boil in a saucepan. Add flour all at once and stir firmly over medium-low heat for 1–2 minutes until a smooth dough forms and a thin film coats the pan.
2. Transfer dough to a bowl and cool 5 minutes. Add beaten eggs in four additions, beating thoroughly after each; the finished paste should be thick, glossy, and fall from the spoon in a slow V shape. Pipe or spoon eight equal mounds at least 2 inches apart.
3. Bake 15 minutes without opening the oven, then reduce to 350°F (175°C) and bake another 20–25 minutes until deeply golden and firm. Pierce each shell near the base to release steam; return to the switched-off oven with the door ajar for 5 minutes. Cool completely on a rack.
4. Simmer cherries, their sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan for 6–8 minutes, breaking a few cherries. Mix cornstarch and its cold water; stir into cherries and simmer 1 minute until glossy. Cool completely.
5. For the chocolate sauce, heat its ¼ cup cream until steaming, pour over chopped chocolate, wait 2 minutes, and stir smooth. Separately whip the cold ½ cup cream with powdered sugar and vanilla to soft peaks.
6. Split each cooled shell horizontally. Divide all the ice cream among the bottoms, add cherry compote, chocolate sauce, and whipped cream, then lean the lids on top. Serve immediately. The shells should be hollow and dry inside before filling.

The Devotti twist: Choux replaces cake layers, giving a crisp shell around a frozen Black Forest-style center without alcohol.

Make ahead and storage

Keep unfilled cooled shells airtight at room temperature up to 1 day; re-crisp at 300°F (150°C) for 5 minutes and cool. Refrigerate compote and sauce up to 3 days, whipped cream up to 1 day. Assemble only when serving.

Image: AI-generated recipe illustration; homemade results and presentation will vary.