Low Sugar Profiteroles

Creamy, filling, sweet and completely amazing homemade profiteroles drowned in chocolate fudge sauce - and it's all really low in sugar to boot!

• 1 medium free range egg + 1 egg yolk
• 3 tbsp Total Sweet Xylitol
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 200 ml full-fat milk
• 1 vanilla pod, halved length-ways
• 1 tsp sugar-free vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter

• 65 ml full-fat milk
• 65 ml water
• 40g unsalted butter
• 1 tsp Total Sweet Xylitol
• 70 g plain flour
• 2 medium free-range eggs, beaten
• 1 cup low sugar chocolate fudge sauce* (thin it out a little with cream or milk if you want it to pour more easily)

For the fudge sauce:

• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 75 ml double (heavy) cream
• 3 tbsp powdered Total Sweet Xylitol, Blitz in a blender
• pinch of salt
• 75 g dark chocolate (at least 85%)

Method:

For the creme patisserie:

1. Whisk the egg, egg yolk, xylitol and flour together until smooth and creamy. Leave to one side.
2. Pour the milk into a saucepan and scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod into it. Throw in the pod, too. Place the pan over medium-high heat until the milk is just starting to simmer.
3. Slowly pour it into the jug with the egg mixture, whisking the whole time, until smooth and combined. Take out the vanilla pod and return the mixture to the pan.
4. Place back over low heat and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. If it is already really thick by this point, take off the heat. Otherwise, continue to whisk and simmer for another minute until the mixture is thick.
5. Pour through a sieve into a cold bowl or plate and cover with cling film, pressing the cling film down so it touches the custard (this will prevent a skin from forming as it cools).
6. Allow the creme pat to cool slightly, then chill in the fridge while you make the choux pastry buns.

For the Choux Pastry:

1. Preheat oven to 200C/400F/gas 6.
2. Lightly grease a baking tray with a thin spread of butter.
3. Melt the milk, water, butter and xylitol in a saucepan over medium-high heat and then bring to a boil (take off the heat or turn it down if the butter doesn't melt before the mixture starts to boil).
4. Just as it starts to boil, take the saucepan off the heat and dump in all of the flour in one go. Mix it all together until combined, then return to the heat for 30 secs-1 min just to dry out the flour. Allow cooling for 5-10 mins.
5. Add the beaten egg, a little at a time, stirring until combined between each addition. The dough should be shiny and a bit wet, and it should stick to and then break cleanly off a spatula if you hold it up. You may not need to use all the eggs.
6. Fill a piping bag fitted with a wide nozzle (or a disposable piping bag/freezer bag that has the end snipped off) and pipe 20-30 small balls, depending on the size of the nozzle. If you have any egg left over, dip your finger into it, then smooth the tops of the buns with it. If you've used all the eggs, you can do this with water, too.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 mins, then prop the oven door open slightly with a wooden spoon to let it ventilate for another 5 mins.
8. The buns should be puffed up, golden and hollow. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few mins, then pierce the bottom of each bun with a skewer once or twice to allow the steam to escape. Allow cooling completely.
9. When they are completely cool, you have two options for filling them: you can either cut each bun in half, pipe some creme patisserie on the bottom half and top with the other half. Another option is to push the piping bag fitted with a small nozzle (or a squeezy bottle) into the skewer hole you made when cooling the buns and squeeze the creme pat straight into the choux buns.
10. Divide the profiteroles between glasses or ramekins and top with the chocolate fudge sauce to serve.

For the chocolate fudge sauce:

1. Put sauce ingredients in a pan over low heat and stir until the chocolate is almost completely melted and everything is thickening up. Take off the heat and keep stirring until the chocolate is melted and the sauce is thick. Pour into a jug or jar and allow to cool. 
2. This will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days, but it will go hard, so make sure you warm it for a few secs in the microwave to bring it back to the right consistency.
3. If you want this sauce at more of a pouring consistency, stir in a bit more cream or some milk to thin it out a little before using.