Ingredients

• 1 vanilla pod
• halved
• seeds scraped out
• 300ml/11fl oz whole milk
• 2 free-range egg yolks
• 75g/3oz caster sugar
• 20g/¾oz cornflour
• 300ml/11fl oz double cream
• 2 oranges
• zest only
• 3 tbsp orange liqueur
• 250ml/9fl oz cold water
• 110g/4oz cold butter
• diced
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 150g/5oz plain flour
• 4 free-range eggs
• 50g/2oz caster sugar
• 50ml/2fl oz water
• 175g/6oz dark chocolate
• roughly chopped
• 3 oranges
• peeled and segmented
• 6 tbsp caster sugar

Directions

• For the orange cream
• first make a custard. Place the vanilla seeds and pod into a pan. Add the milk and bring to the boil.
• Place the egg yolks
• sugar and cornflour into a bowl and mix together.
• Once the milk is boiling
• pour onto the egg mixture and mix well. Return the mixture to the pan and bring back to the boil
• stirring all the time.
• Once the mixture has boiled
• take the pan off the heat
• remove the vanilla pod and leave the custard to cool.
• Meanwhile
• place the double cream into a bowl with the orange zest and liqueur. Whip until soft peaks form then fold this into the cooled custard. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a medium-sized nozzle.
• For the choux pastry
• preheat the oven to 220C/430F/Gas 7.
• Place the water
• butter and sugar into a pan and bring to the boil. Boil for one minute.
• Remove from the heat and add the flour in one go. Beat the mixture thoroughly until it's smooth and comes away cleanly from the sides of the pan.
• Return to the heat for a minute or two and cook through.
• Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Add the eggs
• one at a time
• beating well between each addition. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a large
• plain nozzle.
• Pipe six large rounds onto a greased baking tray and push any bumps down with a wet fingertip.
• Place in the oven
• along with a cup of water placed on the bottom shelf (this helps create steam).
• Cook for five minutes then open the oven door and allow the steam to escape. Remove the cup of water.
• Cook the choux buns for a further 20 minutes until crisp and golden.
• Remove the buns from the oven and
• using the tip of a sharp knife
• pierce a hole in the bottom of each bun. Place on their sides and return to the oven for a further five minutes to allow the buns to become dry and crisp. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
• For the chocolate sauce
• place the sugar and water into a pan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 1-2 minutes until the sugar has dissolved completely
• then add the chocolate and stir well until smooth. Remove from the heat.
• For the caramelised oranges
• place the orange segments onto a serving plate and dust with the sugar. Use a mini-blowtorch to heat the oranges until the sugar has caramelised (alternatively place under a hot grill).
• To serve
• pipe the orange cream into the choux buns
• through the hole in the bottom of each bun. Place alongside the caramelised oranges. Pour the chocolate sauce over the choux buns and serve immediately.