Profiteroles

SERVES 6 PREP 20 mins COOK 30 mins MORE EFFORT

50g butter (preferably unsalted),

cut into cubes

2 tbsp caster sugar

75g strong white lour, sifted with

a pinch of ine sea salt

2 eggs, lightly beaten 300ml double cream few drops vanilla extract

For the sauce 50g cocoa powder 175g caster sugar

1 Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/ gas 7. Put the butter and 2 tsp of the caster sugar in a saucepan with 150ml water over a medium heat until both the butter and sugar have melted, then bring to the boil. Take o the heat, tip in all the flour and beat with a wooden spoon until the dough pulls away from the pan.

2 Leave to cool for 5 mins, then beat in the egg bit by bit until you have a sti , glossy mixture (you may not need all of the egg). Using electric beaters for this stage is easiest. Rinse two baking trays with cold water, shaking o any excess so they are just slightly damp (this helps the pastry to rise). Spoon on blobs of the mixture, well spaced apart, using two teaspoons or a piping bag fitted with a wide round nozzle. Bake for 18-20 mins until well risen and light brown. Remove from the oven and cut a small slit in the base of each profiterole so they don’t collapse, then cool completely on a wire rack. 3 Lightly whip the cream in a bowl until just holding its shape. Sweeten to taste with the remaining sugar and the vanilla extract. Cut each profiterole in half, fill with the cream and pile onto a serving plate. Will keep chilled for 1-2 hrs only.

4 To make the sauce, sift the cocoa powder into a bowl. Put the sugar in a pan with 100ml water and warm over a medium heat until dissolved. Bring to the boil, cook for 1 min, then stir in the cocoa powder until smooth. Return the sauce to the pan, cook for a further 1 min, then set aside for 15 mins before drizzling over the profiteroles.

PER SERVING 564 kcals • fat 39g • saturates 21g • carbs 51g • sugars 38g • ibre 1g • protein 5g • salt 0.5g