Peppermint Profiteroles with Chocolate Sauce

• 2 pints vanilla ice cream, softenedcream
• 23 hard red-and-white-striped peppermint candies, crushedcandy
• 1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extractpeppermint-extract
• 3/4 cup waterwater
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch piecesbutter
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugarsugar
• 1/8 teaspoon saltsalt
• 3/4 cup unbleached all purpose flourunbleached-all-purpose-flour
• 4 large eggsegg
• 1 cup whipping creamcream
• 9 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• Additional red-and-white-striped peppermint candies, crushedcandy
• Fresh mint sprigsmint

1. 01Place ice cream in large bowl. Fold in candies and peppermint extract. Cover and freeze until ice cream is firm, at least 4 hours.
2. 02Preheat oven to 400°F. Line heavy large baking sheet with parchment. Combine 3/4 cup water, butter, sugar and salt in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring until butter melts. Add flour and stir over medium heat until dough pulls away from sides of pan and forms ball, about 2 minutes. Cool 10 minutes.
3. 03Using electric mixer, beat 3 eggs into dough 1 at a time. Transfer dough to pastry bag fitted with 1/2-inch plain tip. Pipe sixteen 1 1/2-inch mounds of dough onto sheet, spacing 2 inches apart. Beat 1 egg in small bowl. Brush over dough mounds (do not drip egg onto sheet).
4. 04Bake pastries 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Bake pastries until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Using skewer, pierce side of each pastry to allow steam to escape. Bake pastries 5 minutes longer; transfer to racks and cool completely. (Ice cream and pastries can be made 1 week ahead. Keep ice cream frozen. Enclose pastries in resealable plastic bag; freeze. Thaw pastries before continuing.)
5. 05Bring cream to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate. Let stand until chocolate softens, about 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm over low heat.)

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