Chocolate Profiteroles

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake.

Put the milk, water, butter and salt in a medium saucepan and slowly bring to the boil to melt the butter. 

Immediately remove from the heat and quickly tip in the flour, beating vigorously with a wooden spoon until a thick, smooth dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the saucepan. Place over a low heat and cook, stirring continuously for 2 minutes. Tip the dough into the bowl of a standing mixer and cool for 10 minutes.

Add 4 of the eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly between each addition to make a thick, smooth, shiny dough that falls cleanly off the beaters when lifted. Only add the fifth egg if needed. 

Drop large spoonfuls of dough onto a lined baking tray.

Bake for 20 minutes or until well risen, then reduce the oven to 150°C and bake for a further 15 minutes until well cooked, crisp and golden. 

Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.

To assemble: Halve the profiteroles and fill the bases generously with the chocolate custard cream or softly whipped cream. Dip the tops in the ganache and sandwich with the bases. Makes 8

Cook’s Tip: I find it best to use a self-raising gluten-free flour when making these profiteroles as it gives a better result than using plain gluten-free flour.

Chocolate Ganache: Heat the cream to just below boiling point. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Leave for 2 minutes then whisk until smooth, and stir in the oil. Cool to room temperature. 

Chocolate Custard Cream: Put the sugar and cornflour in a small saucepan then whisk in the milk until smooth. Whisk in the vanilla and the egg yolks.

Cook over a medium low heat, whisking constantly until the custard just starts to thicken on the base of the saucepan. Immediately remove from the heat and continue to whisk for 1 minute until very thick and glossy. Place over a low heat and cook, whisking constantly for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and chocolate until melted and smooth.

Tip into a bowl and press a piece of plastic wrap over the surface to prevent a skin forming. Cool.

Whisk the cooled custard until smooth. Whisk the cream until it just starts to thicken then add to the chocolate custard. Continue to whisk together until thickened to just past soft peaks.