For Chocolate Cream Puffs: On your stove top, boil water in a medium pot. Add butter to boiling water. Heat to boiling. Add salt. Add flour & cocoa, all at once, stir over the heat until smooth then immediately remove from heat. Cool mixture slightly in the pot (about 5 minutes) then add eggs one at a time. Between each egg addition, stir until egg is fully mixed in. It’s very important to only add one egg at a time during this process. Stir until mixture is no longer glossy. Drop walnut sized amounts (for medium sized cream puffs) onto cookie sheet (ungreased). Bake at 400 F for 25 minutes. Do not open the oven door while cooking...I know it’s tempting! Cool cream puffs completely before filling.
For the Caramel Sauce: In a small pot, stir the brown sugar, cream and butter over medium heat. Whisk until the mixture comes to a boil. Add the vanilla and continue letting the mixture boil for about 5 minutes. Stir often to prevent burning. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature before adding to buttercream.
For the Caramel Buttercream: In a large bowl, beat (low speed) water, shortening and vanilla until well blended. Add confectioners’ sugar and beat (medium speed) for 3 minutes. Add in caramel sauce and beat just until blended.
Fill each cream puff with approximately 1 tablespoon of caramel buttercream. Top with additional caramel sauce if desired.
Recipe by Moms & Munchkins at https://www.momsandmunchkins.ca/chocolate-cream-puffs/