Ingredients

• 55g/2oz butter
• 65g/2¼oz plain flour
• sifted
• 2 large free-range eggs
• beaten
• 250ml/9fl oz full-fat milk
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 3 medium free-range egg yolks
• 40g/1½oz caster sugar
• 10g/¼oz cornflour
• 10g/¼oz plain flour
• dash of red food colouring
• 100g/3½oz chocolate (minimum 39% cocoa solids)
• broken into pieces
• 30g/1oz butter
• 150g/5½oz icing sugar
• sifted

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. Lightly grease two baking trays.
• To make the pastry
• put the butter and 150ml/5fl oz water in a small pan. Heat gently until the butter has melted. Bring slowly to the boil
• and then remove from the heat. Quickly add the plain flour and
• using a wooden spoon
• beat until the mixture forms a soft ball. Return to the heat and beat for a further minute.
• Leave to cool slightly. Add the beaten eggs a little at a time
• mixing well between each addition until you have a smooth pipeable mixture. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm/½in plain nozzle. Pipe 20 small mounds onto the prepared baking trays
• leaving room for them to spread. Flick water over the tray to create steam when baking.
• Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5. Cook for a further 10 minutes
• or until well-risen and a deep golden-brown. Remove and make a hole in the bottom of the buns to allow the steam to escape. Leave to cool on a wire rack.
• For the filling
• put the milk and vanilla extract in a heavy-based pan and slowly bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 30 seconds.
• Meanwhile
• in a medium bowl
• whisk together the egg yolks and caster sugar until pale
• then whisk in the cornflour and plain flour. Pour the vanilla-infused milk over the eggs
• whisking continuously
• then pour back into the pan.
• Bring to the boil
• whisking continuously over a medium heat and cook for one minute
• or until thickened. Add a dash of red food colouring and stir thoroughly until it has an even colour. Pour into a bowl and cover with cling film. Leave to cool for a few minutes
• then transfer to the fridge to chill.
• For the the icing
• put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water (making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water). Add the butter and 4 tablespoons water. When the chocolate is melted and well combined with the butter
• remove it from the heat and beat in the icing sugar until smooth.
• When the profiteroles are cold
• spoon the red crème patissiere into a piping bag fitted with a small plain nozzle. Fill the profiteroles then dip each one into the icing to coat the top. Leave to set
• then serve.