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For the brownie layer:
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Preheat oven to 350u00b0F and grease an 8 by 8-inch or 9 by 9-inch pan. Alternatively, you could line the pan with parchment paper.
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Melt unsalted butter and semi-sweet chocolate chips in microwave or using a double boiler. Stir until chocolate is completely melted and smooth in texture. Add granulated white sugar and mix until completely incorporated.
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Add eggs in one at a time until completely blended. Add vanilla. Stir in flour until just incorporated.
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Pour batter into a prepared pan and bake in a water bath for 45 minutes (reduce time if not using a water bath).
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For the cream puff shells (pate a choux):
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Preheat oven to 350u00b0F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Cut butter into small cubes and put into a large sauce pot. Add water, salt and sugar and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat and add flour all at once, stirring vigorously until completely incorporated. Place pot over medium heat and stir mixture until it forms a ball of dough that does not stick to the side of the pot. Remove dough from heat and allow it to cool in a mixing bowl for approximately 5 minutes.
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Add eggs one at a time, thoroughly mixing after each addition. Use a spoon to drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto a prepared baking sheet.
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Place baking sheet in the oven. Turn heat up to 425u00b0F and set the timer for 10 minutes. Lower temperature to 350-F and bake for another 15 minutes or until shells are golden in colour. Allow cream puff shells to completely cool on a rack.
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For the chantilly cream:
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Place cold heavy cream into a chilled bowl. Beat on high power until cream starts to thicken slightly. Add sugar and continue to beat until cream until medium-firm peaks are formed. Mix in vanilla.
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Put cream into a pastry bag using a round tip for filling the cream puff shells. Pipe cream into cooled cream puff shells by poking a hole in the bottom and fill until the shell expands slightly. Alternatively, you can cut the top off the shell, put the cream inside and replace the top.
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14
For the chocolate ganache glaze:
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Melt heavy cream and chocolate chips in the microwave or using a double boiler. Stir until chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Add sugar and vanilla and stir until smooth.
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Pour glaze over cooled brownies until the top is covered of the brownies are covered with a thin layer of ganache. Cover the brownies with a layer of cream puffs in 4 by 4 or 5 by 5 rows. Drizzle the first layer of cream puffs with chocolate ganache.
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Add an overlapping layer of cream puffs in 3 by 3 or 4 by 4 rows. Drizzle the second layer of cream puffs with chocolate ganache.
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Add one or two cream puffs to the top middle of the cake. Drizzle with chocolate ganache and garnish with powdered sugar or white chocolate curls.
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Keep cake covered in a fridge for up to 2-3 days. Store remaining cream puffs in a fridge for 2-3 days or up to two months in the freezer.
