Fruit-filled choux buns with caramel sauce

Method

• step 1

  Have a set of electric beaters ready to go. Put the butter and 200ml cold water into a medium saucepan and bring to a rolling boil. Take off the heat and immediately tip in the flour and salt. Beat for 30 secs or until you have a smooth paste that leaves the sides of the pan. Tip onto a dinner plate, spread out and leave to cool.

• step 2

  Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6 and line a large baking sheet with non-stick baking paper. Once the paste has cooled, return to the pan. Add the eggs a little at a time and, using the beaters, totally incorporate the egg before adding the next batch. Keep going until you have a smooth, glossy paste that drops easily from a spoon.

• step 3

  Using two dessertspoons, spoon the mix onto the sheet in 6 large even, round-ish blobs. Bake for 20-25 mins, until dark golden and risen. When cool enough to handle, poke a small hole in the bottom of each using a knife or teaspoon handle (this lets the steam out, preventing them from getting soggy). Return to the oven for 5 more mins, then cool on a wire rack. At this point, the buns can be cooled and kept in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to a month. Refresh in a hot oven for 5 mins and cool before using.

• step 4

  To make the sauce, heat all the ingredients together in a small pan for 5 mins, stirring now and again until silky and smooth.

• step 5

  For the cream filling, softly whip the cream, sugar and wine together in a large bowl – stop before it’s completely whipped, as it will continue to firm up as you fill the buns.

• step 6

  Split the buns along the middle. Spoon in the cream, tuck in slices of peach and a few blueberries and serve straight away with a drizzle of the caramel sauce.