Ingredients
• 300ml thickened cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon icing sugar mixture
• 50g dark chocolate, melted, cooled
Basic choux pastry
• 60g butter, chopped
• 2/3 cup plain flour
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
Almond praline
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 120g packet dry-roasted almonds
Method
1. Make almond praline Line a baking tray with baking paper. Place sugar and 1 cup cold water in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir, without boiling, for 5 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil. Boil, without stirring, for 15 to 17 minutes or until mixture turns golden. Working quickly, stir in nuts. Spread mixture onto prepared tray. Set aside for 15 minutes or until firm. Process until finely chopped. Reserve 1 tablespoon praline.
2. Preheat oven to 220°C/200°C fan-forced. Line 2 large baking trays with baking paper.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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).
6. Spoon 10 level tablespoons dough, 6cm apart, onto prepared tray. Spoon 10 rounded teaspoons dough, 5cm apart, onto remaining tray. Brush with reserved egg.
7. Bake tray of larger 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.
8. Increase temperature to 220°C/200°C fan-forced. Bake tray of small profiteroles for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to 180°C/160°C.
9. Almond praline profiterole stack fan-forced. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden and puffed. Using a small knife, carefully cut a slit in the base of each profiterole. Return to oven. Bake for 5 minutes to dry out centres. Cool on tray.
10. Using an electric mixer, beat cream, vanilla and icing sugar until firm peaks. Fold in praline. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm plain nozzle. Pipe mixture into profiteroles.
11. Spoon chocolate on top of large profiteroles. Top with small profiteroles to secure. Set aside for 10 minutes or until chocolate has set. Serve topped with reserved praline.
