Chocolate Profiteroles

For the choux pastry

• 200 ml cold Water
• 4 teaspoons caster sugar
• 85 g unsalted butter plus extra for greasing
• 115 g Plain Flour
• Salt
• 3 medium Free Range Eggs beaten

For the cream filling

• 600 ml Double cream
• 1 orange zest only

For the chocolate sauce

• 100 ml Water
• 80 g caster sugar
• 200 g good quality Dark Chocolate broken into pieces

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For the choux pastry

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Place a small roasting tin in the bottom of the oven to heat.
2. For the choux pastry, place the water, sugar and butter into a large saucepan. Heat gently until the butter has melted.
3. Turn up the heat, then quickly pour in the flour and salt all in one go.
4. Remove from the heat and beat the mixture vigorously until a smooth paste is formed. Once the mixture comes away from the side of the pan, transfer to a large bowl and leave to cool for 10-15 minutes.
5. Beat in the eggs, a little at a time, until the mixture is smooth and glossy and has a soft dropping consistency - you may not need it all.
6. Lightly grease a large baking sheet. Using a piping bag and plain 1cm/½in nozzle, pipe the mixture into small balls in lines across the baking sheet. Gently rub the top of each ball with a wet finger - this helps to make a crisper top.
7. Place the baking sheet into the oven. Before closing the oven door, pour half a cup of water into the roasting tin at the bottom of the oven, then quickly shut the door. This helps to create more steam in the oven and make the pastry rise better. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden-brown - if the profiteroles are too pale they will become soggy when cool.
8. Remove from the oven and turn the oven off. Prick the base of each profiterole with a skewer. Place back onto the baking sheet with the hole in the base facing upwards and return to the oven for five minutes. The warm air from the oven helps to dry out the middle of the profiteroles.

For the cream filling

1. For the filling, lightly whip the cream with the orange zest until soft peaks form. When the profiteroles are cold, use a piping bag to pipe the cream into the profiteroles

For the chocolate sauce

1. For the chocolate sauce, place the water and sugar into a small saucepan and bring to the boil to make a syrup. Reduce the heat to a simmer and place the chocolate into a heatproof bowl set over the pan. Heat, stirring occasionally, until melted. Take the pan off the heat, pour the syrup mixture into the chocolate and stir until smooth and well combined.
2. To serve, place the stuffed profiteroles into a large serving dish and pour over the chocolate sauce. Serve hot or cold.

Savoury profiteroles with herb and cream cheese

1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
60g butter
1 tsp salt
1 cup plain flour
4 eggs
60g gruyere cheese, grated
125g cream cheese at room temmp
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tbsp finely chopped herbs - parsley, chives, thyme
salt and freshly ground balck pepper

1. Preheat oven 220 C. Line 2 large oven trays with baking paper. Put milk, water, butter and salt in a medium pan over a medium heat. Stir until butter is melted and mixture comes to the boil. Add flour and stir quicly until mixture forms into a ball and pull away from side of pan.
2. Lay a sheet of baking paper on a flat surface, spread dough on paper to cool. Transfer, dough to a food processor. Add eggs, 1 at a time, processing after each addition, until combined. Spoon tbsp sized balls of mixture onto prepared trays, allowing room for spreading. Sprinkle gruyere on balls. Bake for 25 mins or until golden and profiteroles sond holow when tapped on base. Stand for mins cut in half while hot, to let steam escape.
3. put cream cheese in a med bowl and stir until smooth. Add sour cream and herbs. Season, then stir until combined. Spoon mixture into profiteroles and serve.

Christmas profiteroles

Melted butter, for greasing
60g butter, chopped
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup SR flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup cranberry sauce
300mL thickened cream
icing sugar for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 200C. Brush an oven tray with melted butter. Put chopped butter in a heavy-based pan, add water and stir over a low heat for 3-4 minutes or until butter melts. Do not boil.
2. Add SR flour to butter mixture, all at once, and using a wooden spoon, beat until combined. Cook for a further 1-2 minutes or until mixture forms a ball and begins to come away from side of pan. Set aside for 1o minutes to cool.
3. Transfer mixutre to a food process, while mixing add eggs slowly and process until combined. The mixture should hold it's shape and be firm, thick and glossy.
4. Pipe mixture into balls 5cm apart of the prepared tray. Bake for 15-20 mins or until cooked. Cut each profiterole in half and return to oven for 5 mins to dry out. Remove from oven and stand on a wire rack until cool.
5. Whisk cranberry sauce in a small bowl until smooth. Beat cream until stiff peaks form, then gently fold cranberry sauce into cream. Fill profiteroles with cream mixture. Arrange on a large plate, dust heavily with icing sugar and serve immediately.