Ingredients

Method

In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment combine all the ingredients until you have a smooth paste.

Roll out the paste between two sheets of parchment paper to 3mm thickness. Place on a baking sheet still in the paper and place in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Choux Pastry

Place the water, sugar, salt and butter in a saucepan over a low heat and melt the butter. Remove from the heat and add the flour and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon. When the dough is smooth with no lumps, place the saucepan back on the heat on a low to medium heat and continue to beat vigorously until the dough forms into a ball and is coming away from the sides of the pan. This takes 2-3 minutes.

Place the dough into a mixing bowl to cool down, stirring occasionally.

Preheat the oven to 430ºF 7 220ºC

Add 1/6 of the beaten egg mixture into the dough and mix vigorously. When fully incorporated repeat the procedure until you have incorporated all the egg mixture. The dough should be smooth and shinny.

The dough is now ready and should be used immediately. Place the dough in a piping bag with an 8mm nozzle and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Pipe 18 mounds about 3cm apart.

Take the craquelin out of the freezer and using a 3cm round cookie cutter cut 18 small rounds and place one on top of each mound of choux dough. Place in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature of the oven to 390ºF / 190ºC and bake for 10 minutes then reduce the oven temperature again to 350ºF / 175ºC and bake for a further 15 minutes or until golden in colour.

Do not open the oven at all during the baking as you will deflate the puffs. Once cooked remove from the oven, turn the oven off and with a sharp knife make a hole in the base of each of the pastry puffs and then place them back on the baking sheet and put them back in the oven with the oven off and the door open to cool completely.

Chocolate Sauce

Place all the ingredients into a non stick pan on a low - medium heat and mix together and bring to a temperature of 175ºF / 80ºC. Once reached remove from the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes, then take a hand blender and blend keeping the blender under the surface of the sauce as to not cause any bubbles. The sauce should be enjoyed at a temperature of 70º - 105ºF / 20º - 40ºc C. The colder it is the thicker the sauce will be.

Filling the Choux Buns

Whisk the double cream to a medium thick consistency, pour it into a pastry bag fitted with an 8mm pastry tip. Fill the profiteroles with cream and place them on a serving platter.

Warm the chocolate sauce gently in the microwave or in a bain-marie and pour over the profiteroles and serve immediately.