Profiteroles

1. In a saucepan bring the water and butter to the boil, then add half the flour all at once (keep the rest for the pastry cream) and "cook" it with a firm hand into a smooth ball.

2. Cool slightly, then beat in the eggs one at a time until you have a glossy, softly flowing choux paste.

3. Pipe walnut-sized mounds onto baking paper and bake at 200 °C for about 25 minutes until puffed and golden – do not open the oven during baking.

4. Cook the milk with the remaining flour, the sugar and 1 egg into a thick vanilla cream, then let it cool.

5. Fill the cooled puffs, or halve them and fill with the cream.

6. Melt the dark chocolate with the warmed cream into a smooth sauce and drizzle it over the profiteroles.

Tip: With choux pastry the secret is to add the eggs only to the slightly cooled mixture, one at a time, so they do not scramble. It is worth drying the baked puffs in an oven left ajar so they do not go soft inside.