Showstopper profiteroles

Preheat the oven to 220C/428F/gas 7.

Cube the butter and place it in a saucepan with 2 tbsp of caster sugar and 150ml water. Heat gently until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves, then bring to a boil.

Remove from the heat, then sift the flour and sea salt into the saucepan. Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan

Let the mixture cool for 5 minutes. Gradually beat in the eggs until a stiff, glossy mixture forms.  Prepare two baking trays by rinsing them with cold water and shaking off the excess, leaving them slightly damp.

Use 2 teaspoons to drop small, even-sized blobs of dough onto the baking trays. Place in the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, until the profiteroles are puffed up and golden brown. Remove from the oven, cut a small slit in the base of each one to prevent collapsing. Cool on a wire rack.

Once cooled, whip the cream until it holds its shape. Sweeten with the remaining sugar and a few drops of vanilla extract. Transfer the cream into a piping bag.

Pipe the cream into each profiterole through the slit, and arrange them on a serving plate. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours if desired, but avoid longer storage to keep the pastry crisp.

For the chocolate sauce, place a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water, ensuring the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Break the chocolate into pieces and add with the butter, stirring until melted and smooth.

Drizzle the warm chocolate sauce over the profiteroles and serve.