Profiteroles

Choux

• water125 ml
• milk125 ml
• butter100 g
• plain flour140 g
• eggs4
• caster sugar1 tsp
• salt1 pinch

Filling and sauce

• double cream400 ml
• icing sugar2 tbsp
• vanilla extract1 tsp
• dark chocolate150 g
• double cream150 ml

Choux

1. 01

   Heat the oven to 200°C and line two baking trays with baking paper. Sift the flour. Bring the water, milk, butter, sugar and salt to a rolling boil.

2. 02

   Take the pan off the heat, tip in the flour all at once and beat hard with a wooden spoon until it forms a smooth ball.

3. 03

   Return to low heat and beat for 2 minutes more to dry the paste — a thin film forming on the base is the sign.

4. 04

   Beat the eggs in a jug. Cool the paste for 5 minutes, then beat in the egg a little at a time. Stop when the paste is glossy and falls from the spoon in a V-shaped ribbon — you may not need all the egg.

5. 05

   Spoon the paste into a piping bag with a 1 cm plain nozzle and pipe about 24 balls, 3 cm across and 3 cm apart, onto the lined trays. Smooth the tips with a wet finger.

6. 06

   Bake for 20 minutes, then pierce each one to let the steam out and bake for 5 minutes more to dry the insides. Do not open the oven before that.

7. 07

   Cool completely on a rack.

Filling and sauce

8. 08

   Whip the 400 ml of double cream with the icing sugar and vanilla extract to firm peaks, spoon it into a piping bag with a 5 mm plain nozzle, widen the steam hole in each bun with the nozzle tip and pipe the cream in.

9. 09

   Chop the dark chocolate and put it in a bowl. Heat the 150 ml of double cream until steaming, pour it over the chocolate and stir until smooth.

10. 10

    Pile the buns up and pour the warm chocolate sauce over just before serving.