Gold Leaf Profiteroles

Choux pastry profiteroles are very easy to make with the added benefit of looking like a very complicated dessert. Fill them with whipped cream, slather with a rich chocolate topping and decorate with tiny pieces of edible gold or silver leaf, or any other decorations that you fancy.

Ingredients

For the profiteroles:

150ml water

50g butter, chopped roughly

60g plain flour

2 medium/large free-range eggs

For the topping:

100g dark chocolate, finely chopped

60ml single cream

1 tbs salted butter

2 tbs golden syrup

For the filling:

Whipped cream

To decorate:

Edible gold or silver leaf

Equipment:

Tala Performance baking tray

Baking parchment

Small saucepan

Measuring cup/scales

Wooden spoon

Mini palette knife

Fork

Piping bag fitted with large round open tip nozzle

Small microwavable bowl

Ramekin or small bowl of water

Makes: approximately 22-24 profiteroles

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius fan (392 degrees Fahrenheit).
2. Put the water and butter into the saucepan and bring to the boil.
3. Turn off the heat and mix in the flour with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth.
4. Turn the heat back on very gently and cook off the starch, stirring constantly until the mixture comes away from the sides of the pan (this will take up to a minute).
5. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes while you follow the next few steps.
6. Beat the eggs roughly with a fork.
7. Fit the piping bag with a large round tip nozzle.
8. Line the baking tray with a piece of baking parchment.
9. Returning to the saucepan, gradually mix the eggs into the flour mixture. (I add the eggs in three batches, stirring to a smooth consistency between each addition.) This takes a few minutes but keep going as the mixture always comes together eventually.
10. Transfer the mixture to the piping bag and pipe evenly spaced blobs onto a lined baking sheet. Each blob should measure about 3-4cm in diameter and you will have enough mixture to pipe approximately 24 blobs. Leave a space between each blob to allow for expansion in the oven.
11. You will probably find each blob finishes with a pointy peak. These will burn in the hot oven, so take a moment to push them down. Place the ramekin of water by the tray, dip a finger into the water and press down all of the the peaks. 
12. Bake for 20 minutes then turn off the oven, leaving the oven door closed for another twenty minutes.
13. Remove the tray from the oven and allow the profiteroles to cool fully before filling and decorating.
14. Prepare the chocolate topping by placing the cream in the microwavable bowl and heating it to simmering point in the microwave.
15. Add the chocolate and stir until completely melted, then add the butter and stir again before adding the golden syrup. (If any lumps of butter or chocolate refuse to melt, heat the bowl on low power in the microwave for 5-second intervals until everything is melted.) Mix until smooth and then set the bowl aside for a few moments.
16. Fit a clean piping bag with the large nozzle with the medium open tip and fill the bag with whipped cream.
17. Choose a profiterole, turn it upside down and stab the nozzle through the pastry, squeezing, so that the hollow inside is filled with whipped cream. Repeat until all of the buns are filled.
18. Drop a teaspoon or so of chocolate topping onto each profiterole and spread neatly with a mini palette knife.
19. Decorate the top of each profiterole with scraps of edible gold leaf.
20. Keep refrigerated until you serve them.