• Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper or silicone liners. Set aside.
• In a small saucepan, combine milk, butter, and salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly and add the flour. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon, continue to cook, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes. The mixture should pull away from the sides of the pan and appear glossy and thick.
• Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
• Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat in the eggs one at a time. Make sure the first egg is fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth before adding the second egg.
• Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a large straight tip. Pipe 1 ½ inch mounds onto prepared sheet trays, leaving at least 2 inches in between (they will grow). Bake until puffed up and golden brown, 12-15 minutes. I rotate the pans halfway through cooking time. Transfer pan to a rack to cool completely.

Assembly and serving:

• Combine the hot fudge sauce and peppermint extract. Heat the hot fudge to your desired temperature.
• Slice each profiterole in half horizontally. Fill each profiterole with a scoop of ice cream (I used a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop and it was the perfect size). Place the top back on the profiterole, drizzle with peppermint hot fudge, and sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies. Serve immediately.