Coffee and Almond Profiteroles

Crisp profiteroles filled with luscious coffee crème pâtissière.

CHOUX PASTRY

1 cup plain flour pinch of sea salt 120 grams butter, diced 1 cup water 4 large eggs COFFEE CRÈME PÂTISSIÈRE 5 large egg yolks ¾ cup caster sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/3 cup plain flour

5 tablespoons cornflour 2½ cups milk

1-2 tablespoons instant espresso coffee granules

2 tablespoons coffee liqueur, optional

TO ASSEMBLE

1 cup cream, softly whipped

1 cup dulce de leche or Salted Caramel Sauce (see recipe page 220)

½ cup sliced almonds, toasted

Preheat the oven to 220°C regular bake.

CHOUX PASTRY:

Sift the flour onto a sheet of baking paper and add the salt. Put the butter and water in a large saucepan over a medium heat and bring to a rolling boil, making sure all the butter has melted before the water comes to the boil. Remove from the heat, add the flour and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until the dough comes away from the sides of the saucepan and forms a smooth ball. Transfer into the bowl of an electric mixer and cool for 10 minutes. With the motor running, add the eggs one at a time to make a thick, smooth, glossy paste. The first egg takes a little while to beat in.

Pipe or spoon 16 mounds of choux pastry onto a lined baking tray, spacing them at least 4 cm apart. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 180°C and bake a further 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden and very crisp. Remove from the oven, cut a slit in the side of each choux to release any steam and return to the oven for 5 minutes to dry out. Cool on a rack.

CRÈME PÂTISSIÈRE:

Whisk together the yolks, sugar and vanilla in a large heatproof bowl. Sift the flour and cornflour together and gradually whisk into the yolks to make a smooth paste. In a saucepan, heat the milk and coffee to just below boiling point. Slowly pour into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling. Tip the custard back into the saucepan and place over a medium heat. Stirring constantly, slowly bring to the boil and cook for a further minute until it becomes very thick and no taste of raw flour remains. Remove from the heat and stir in the liqueur if using. Tip into a bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin forming. Cool, then refrigerate until ready to use.

TO ASSEMBLE:

Beat the custard to remove any lumps. Halve each profiterole and, using a spoon, fill the bottom generously with custard, then top with a dollop of whipped cream. Replace the tops. Drizzle with dulce de leche and sprinkle with almonds. Serve within a few hours of assembling. MAKES 16