CREAM PUFFS WITH CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Choux pastry seems daunting, but it’s simple. I’ve suggested two fillings, but if you want only one, double the quantities of one set of ingredients.

SERVES 6-8

75g unsalted butter 130g superfine white rice flour 1tsp xanthan gum 1 heaped tbsp sugar 3 large eggs

FOR THE CREME CUSTARD

500ml semi-skimmed milk, lactose-free milk or suitable plant-based milk 6 large egg yolks 100g caster sugar 50g cornflour 2tsp vanilla extract

FOR THE CHOCOLATE CUSTARD

50g cornflour

METHOD

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C (gas mark 6).

2 Combine the butter and 185ml water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Mix the rice flour and xanthan gum in a bowl until well combined, then add to the pan and beat quickly with a wooden spoon. The mixture will come away from the side of the pan and form a smooth ball.

3 Transfer the dough to a medium bowl. With a hand-held electric mixer, beat in the sugar, then beat in the eggs one at a time.

4 Place rounded teaspoons of the dough on two baking sheets, about 4cm apart. Bake for 7 minutes, or until the pastries puff up. Reduce the temperature to 180°C (gas mark 4) and bake for 10 minutes more or until crisp and lightly browned.

5 Reduce the temperature to 140°C (gas mark 1) and remove one sheet from the oven. Quickly and carefully cut a small opening in the side of each pastry. Return the sheet to the oven and repeat with the second sheet. Bake for five minutes, or until the pastries have dried out.

6 Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. Carefully cut open the pastries. Remove and discard the soft centres.

7 While pastries are cooling, to make the creme custard, pour the milk into a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat and bring to just below the boil. Beat the egg yolks and caster sugar with a hand-held electric mixer until thick and creamy. Beat in the cornflour. Pour in the hot milk and cream and whisk over medium-low heat until the custard has thickened. Remove from the heat and beat in the vanilla. Pour into a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours, until cold.

625ml semi-skimmed milk, lactose-free milk or suitable plant-based milk 3½tsp sugar 115g good-quality dark chocolate, broken into small pieces

2tbsp plus 2tsp coffee liqueur or brewed strong espresso mixed with a little unsweetened cocoa powder

½tsp vanilla extract

FOR THE CHOCOLATE SAUCE

115g good-quality dark chocolate, broken into pieces

80ml single cream

8 To make the chocolate custard, blend the cornflour with 125ml of the milk to form a paste. Combine the sugar and the remaining milk in a small saucepan and bring to just below the boil. Gradually add the cornflour mixture, stirring until it has thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate, coffee liqueur and vanilla until the mixture is smooth and the chocolate has melted. Pour into a bowl and refrigerate for 2 hours.

9 To make the sauce, combine the chocolate and cream in a heat-proof bowl and set over a saucepan of simmering water until it has melted.

10 Open each pastry and spoon in the fillings, using the creme custard in half of them and chocolate custard in the other. Serve with the sauce.

PER SERVING

(one-eighth recipe): Creme filling: 533 calories, 13g protein, 25 total fat, 65g carbohydrates, 2g fibre. For chocolate filling: 536 calories, 11g protein, 28g total fat, 63g carbohydrates, 4g fibre.