Cream-Filled Profiteroles with Chocolate Sauce

Get ready. Heat the oven to 220 °C (200 °C fan) and line the tray with baking paper. Beat the eggs and egg white together in the jug; you need about 120 ml, so discard any extra.

Cook the paste. Bring the butter, water, milk, sugar and salt to a full boil, then take off the heat and stir in the flour until the dough leaves the sides of the pan. Return it to low heat and cook for 3 min, smearing it against the pan, until it looks like shiny wet sand. Cooking dries the paste so it can absorb more egg and puff higher.

Add the eggs. Tip the paste into the processor and run it for 10 s to let steam escape. With the motor running, pour in the egg in a steady stream, then process for 30 s until smooth, glossy and sticky.

Pipe and bake. Pipe 24 mounds about 4 cm wide and 3 cm apart, then smooth any points with a wet finger. Bake for 15 min without opening the door, then turn down to 190 °C (170 °C fan) and bake for 8-10 min more, until golden and firm to the touch.

Dry the puffs. Cut a small slit in the side of each puff to let steam out. Put them back in the switched-off oven with the door propped open with the wooden spoon for 30 min, so the insides dry and the shells stay crisp, then cool on the rack.

Fill. Whip the cold cream, icing sugar and vanilla to soft peaks that just hold their shape. Pipe the cream into each cooled puff through its slit.

Make the sauce and serve. Bring the cream, golden syrup, butter and salt to a boil, take off the heat, add the chocolate and cover for 5 min before whisking smooth. Pile the puffs in the bowl and pour over the warm sauce straight away.