Dear Giuseppe

As the dust settles, the sun high, the smell of a battle fills the air……. between a lone ranger and a profiterole….. haha kidding. I was told there is a trick to this, more so about making the perfect batter, it’s allll about the batter. Getting the consistency right, being prepared with all of your ingredients, and timing! Rest assured with my influence, you will win this battle……. I hope ;) We dug into these, and they were used as a type of currency in my house, bribes and all! Valuable stuff, my advice…..lock the doors, make them when your alone in the house and eat them alone. Wipe the chocolate off your face before everyone gets home and hide the evidence…….. 

INGREDIENTS

BATTER

• 125 ml of Milk
• 200ml of Water
• 150 grams of Plain Flour
• 1 teaspoon of Castor Sugar
• 100 grams of Butter (unsalted)
• 4 Eggs (whisked lightly)

METHOD

Pre-heat oven to 200C. Have all your ingredients measured out and placed somewhere easy to grab! Sift your flour and salt into a large bowl. In a Saucepan over low heat, place the water, milk and sugar. Once the sugar has dissolved add the butter and melt completely. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and pour the hot mixture into the flour mixture and beat aggressively until the mixture starts to come away from the bowl and turns into a batter. Tip onto a plate and leave to cool. When cool, place mixture in a bowl, and with electric beaters (electric mixer) on low, gradually beat in your whisked egg mixture, go slow. Now you should have a smooth batter. On baking tray lined with greaseproof paper, spoon your batter in smallish walnut blobs, make sure to space them well apart so they don’t stick together. I also whisk 1 egg and brush the batter before putting it in the oven and half way through to give them a crispy golden shell. You might have to do 2 rounds in the oven, I did.Place them into the oven and bake for 15 - 20 mins, watch them!!! I like to turn down my heat between 150C and 180C so I make sure the middle is cooked. Take them out and let them cool. Once cooled cut them in half with a bread knife. Be very careful as the are VERY delicate….. be gentle. 

CHANTILLY CREAM

• 1 Ground Vanilla Pod
• 600 ml of Whipping Cream
• 1 Tablespoon of Icing Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon of Vanilla Dusting

METHOD

In a large bowl add all ingredients and beat with an electric mixer until thick and creamy. DONT overdo it! You will know if you overdo it, the texture of the cream will change, it will taste like ass and you will have to start all over again. This is bad, especially wasting a vanilla pod… tsk tsk tsk. Perfect cream will give you soft peaks, so remember, soft peaks, keep it soft. Once done spoon into your pastries! mmmmm don’t eat too much cream while doing it…… actually scrap that, eat as much cream as you want while doing it, that Is why I gave you 600ml instead of 400mls in the ingredients. lol. you don’t have to thank me ;)

CHOCOLATE SAUCE

• 200 grams of luxurious, organic (preferably) quality dark chocolate
• 1/2 cup of whipping cream. (you can save it from your 600ml carton if you like) 

METHOD

Put a bowl on top of  3 cm or so of simmering water in saucepan. This is sothe steam will act as the heating element to melt the chocolate slowly.  Add chocolate, broken up into small pieces, melt chocolate slowly. Once melted, take off the heat and add cream, mix until you have a smooth chocolate sauce…… spread or spoon on the tops of the profiteroles……. and yeaaaaa!!!!! 

Stuff your face like my baby cousin and I and everyone else did that night….. Isn’t she an angel, her name is Shakira :)  

xx Love Nicole