HAZELNUT PROFITEROLES WITH BLUE CHEESE AND GRAPES

A dear friend was sweet to have us over to celebrate my husbands birthday, and I brought these profiteroles for an appetizer.
The last time I made this recipe, it made a lot, and we were eating profiteroles for days, so I halved the recipe (but am posting the full recipe here). Also the last time I made these they were a little more light and puffy - unfortunately this time, they were rather stodgy and doughy - I used half-and-half in place of the milk, which could have been the problem!

HAZELNUT PROFITEROLES WITH BLUE CHEESE AND GRAPES

1/2 cup hazelnuts
1 cup milk (I used 1/2 and 1/2 which may have contributed to them not being as puffy as usual)
1 stick plus 1 tablespoon of butter
2 tablespoons Frangelico
2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour
4 large eggs
1 large egg yolk mixed with 2 tablespoons of water
1/4 pound of blue cheese
1/2 cup mascarpone
1/2 cup heavy cream
seedless red grapes for serving

Heat oven to 375F.
Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Spread the hazelnuts in a pie plate and toast for about 12 minutes, until the nuts are fragrant and the skins are blistered. Transfer the nuts to a clean kitchen towel and rub vigorously to remove the skins. Let the hazelnuts cool completely. Transfer the hazelnuts to a food processor and finely grind them.
In a large saucepan, combine the milk with the butter, Frangelico, sugar and salt and bring to a simmer over moderate heat. Remove from the heat. Add the flour and 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the ground hazelnuts and stir with a wooden spoon until a mass forms. Return the saucepan to moderate heat and cook the dough, stirring, for 1 minute.
Transfer the dough to a medium bowl and let it cool for 2 minutes. Using an electric mixer, beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well between addition.
Transfer the dough to a pastry bag and pipe 1-inch mounds of the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, about 1-inch apart.
Brush the tops with the egg wash and sprinkle with the remaining ground hazelnuts. Bake for about 25 minutes, until the profiteroles are puffed and golden.
Poke a hole in the side of each puff to release the steam, let the puffs cool completely.
In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the blue cheese with the mascarpone and heavy cream at medium speed until firm and fluffy. Using a serrated knife, split each puff horizontally and remove any doughy centers with a spoon. Fill each puff with 1/2 tablespoon of the blue cheese cream and replace the tops. Transfer to a platter and serve with the grapes.

Recipe adapted from Food and Wine, November 2009
www.foodandwine.com/