Once you’ve mastered choux pastry using our step-by-step guide, this French patisserie-style dessert will be a breeze
Prep:30 mins
Serves 6
For the choux pastry100g plain flour50g butter, chopped into small cubes4 tbsp each milk and water1 tsp caster sugarpinch salt3 large eggs, lightly beaten
STEP 1Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. To make the choux pastry, sift the flour onto a large sheet of baking parchment. This will stop lumps of flour forming in the dough. Put the butter, milk, water, sugar and salt in a pan, and heat gently until the butter has completely melted. Only once the butter has melted, increase the heat and bring the liquid to the boil. When bubbling, remove quickly from the heat and tip in the flour all at once. Immediately beat with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a dough that leaves the side of the pan clean. Return to a low heat, stirring, for 1 min. Remove from the heat. Cool for 3 mins. Gradually add the beaten egg to the dough, beating well between each addition, until the dough is smooth and glossy.STEP 2Line a large flat baking sheet with baking parchment. Pipe or spoon about 24 balls of dough over the baking sheet, allowing space between each for rising. Bake for 20-25 mins until the profiteroles are puffed and golden. Remove the profiteroles from the oven and quickly poke a hole in the bottom of each to let out the steam, then return to the oven for 5 mins. Cool on a wire rack.STEP 3If using frozen raspberries for the filling, defrost in the microwave on Low for 4-5 mins. Tip the raspberries, icing sugar and lemon juice into a food processor or mini blender and blitz until smooth. Press through a sieve into a bowl.STEP 4Whip the cream until stiff, then fold in 4 tbsp of the raspberry sauce. Spoon the filling into a piping bag fitted with a nozzle a little smaller than the holes you made in the profiteroles. Or use a plastic food bag and snip off the tip of a corner. Poke into each hole in turn, and pipe in the filling until full. The profiteroles should be fully cool before you do this.STEP 5Break up the chocolate into a small bowl, then either melt in the microwave on Low for 1½-2 mins, stirring halfway through, or over a pan of simmering water. Leave to cool briefly until slightly thickened.STEP 6Carefully spoon the melted chocolate over each filled profiterole and sprinkle with pistachios. Leave to set. To serve, drizzle the remaining raspberry sauce over 6 serving plates and top each with 4 profiteroles, or simply serve the sauce in a bowl alongside for drizzling over.
