Profiterole Cake

Ingredients (serves 8)

• 80g butter, chopped
• 1 cup plain flour
• 4 eggs, at room temperature
• 2 x 180g blocks good-quality white cooking chocolate
• 1 litre thick vanilla custard (we used Pauls)
• 1/2 cup pistachio kernels, roasted, chopped

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease and line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Place butter and 1 cup cold water in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil over medium heat. Gradually add flour, stirring constantly until mixture comes together. Transfer to a large heatproof bowl. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter mixture for 1 minute or until pale. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating constantly until well combined. Spoon or pipe tablespoons of mixture onto prepared trays, allowing room for spreading. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce oven to 180°C. Bake for a further 30 minutes or until puffed, golden and dry inside. Transfer to a wire rack. Allow to cool completely.
3. Place chocolate in a heatproof, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, uncovered, on medium (50%), stirring every minute with a metal spoon until almost melted. Stir until smooth.
4. Using a wooden skewer, make 1 hole in the base of each profiterole. Grease and line a 22cm (base) springform cake pan with baking paper. Using a piping bag fitted with a 1cm-diameter nozzle, fill profiteroles with custard (see tip). Place profiteroles, in a single layer, over base of prepared pan. Drizzle with half the chocolate and sprinkle with half the pistachios. Repeat with remaining profiteroles, custard, chocolate and pistachios. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until chocolate has set. Serve.

Notes

• 
  Dip the filled profiterole bases in chocolate to seal the holes

Ingredients (serves 8)

• 1/3 cup chocolate hazelnut spread, warmed
• 3/4 cup thickened cream, whipped
• 1/4 cup dry-roasted hazelnuts, chopped

• Basic choux pastry

• 60g butter, chopped
• 2/3 cup plain flour
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten

• Chocolate sauce

• 100g dark chocolate, chopped
• 100g milk chocolate, chopped
• 1/3 cup thickened cream

Method

1. Preheat oven to 220°C/200°C fan-forced. Line 2 large baking trays with baking paper.
2. Make basic choux pastry: Combine butter and 2/3 cup cold water in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until butter has melted and mixture just starts to boil.
3. Reduce heat to low. Add flour. Cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes or until mixture comes away from side of pan and forms a ball. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
4. Reserve 2 teaspoons egg. Using a wooden spoon, gradually beat in remaining egg until well combined and mixture forms a glossy dough (mixture should drop from the spoon).
5. Spoon level tablespoons of dough, 6cm apart, onto prepared trays. Brush with reserved egg.
6. Bake 1 tray of profiteroles for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden and puffed. Using a small knife, carefully cut a slit in the base of each profiterole. Return to oven, cut-side up. Bake for 5 minutes to dry out centres. Cool on tray. Increase temperature to 220°C/200°C fan-forced. Repeat with remaining tray.
7. Make chocolate sauce: Place chocolate and cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium-high (75%) for 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth, stirring every 30 seconds. Set aside for 20 minutes or until mixture has thickened.
8. Spoon hazelenut spread into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm plain nozzle. Pipe into profiteroles to half fill. Repeat with whipped cream to fill. Assemble in a stack on a cake stand. Drizzle with chocolate sauce. Sprinkle with hazelnuts. Set aside for 20 minutes to set. Serve.

Notes

• 
  If you don't have a piping bag you can use a snaplock bag and snip the corner.
  These choux pastry recipes are best made on day of serving.
  Unfilled choux pastry can be frozen in airtight containers or snaplock bags for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature.