Glossy chocolate profiteroles

Method

1. For the choux buns: lightly grease two baking sheets with butter and line each with greaseproof paper. Switch the oven on to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Stick the butter and 250ml water in a saucepan, bring to a bubble, then remove from the heat. Tip in the flour, sugar and ½ teaspoon salt, beating at the same time: it will start looking like a massive glob of roux at this point. Keep beating away until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan and goes into a ball.

2. Now beat in the eggs, one at a time, until well blended. Then using two teaspoons, form the mixture into walnut-sized balls and place on the prepared baking sheets. Or pipe them for a pointy top effect. Bake the choux balls for about 45 minutes – check up on them after 30. If they're golden, puffed and crisped, then they're ready. Transfer them to a wire rack, then slice them almost half way through, to allow the steam out. You don't want them chewy. You can store them in a tin for a day or two, or in the freezer for up to a month – but if doing this, pop them back in the oven for a few minutes to make sure they've crisped up.

3. For the sauce: melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, then mix in the butter, golden syrup and cream, and remove from the heat. This can be reheated – just put it back over the water pan.

4. To serve, whip the cream into soft peaks, then stuff or pipe a blob into each profiterole. Serve them doused with the chocolate sauce.