Profiteroles with Vanilla Cream and Chocolate Sauce

For the cream, heat 500 ml milk with a vanilla pod, split lengthwise and scraped. Separately, whisk 4 egg yolks with 125 g sugar, 25 g flour and 30 g cornstarch. Pour in the hot milk, stir to combine, return the mixture to the saucepan and cook for 3 minutes after it comes to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat, stir in 75 g butter, cover with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface, and cool quickly.

Preheat the oven to 150°C. In a saucepan, bring 100 ml milk, 100 ml water, 75 g butter and a pinch of salt to a boil. Remove from the heat, add 100 g flour all at once and stir vigorously until smooth. Return to high heat and dry out the dough for 3–4 minutes, until a thin film forms on the bottom of the pan.

Transfer the dough to a bowl and gradually beat in 5 eggs, one at a time, until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Pipe 18 balls, about 4 cm in diameter, onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake the profiteroles for 20 minutes, then turn off the oven and leave them inside for another 10 minutes to dry out. Let cool completely, then make a small hole in the bottom of each one.

For the sauce, combine 100 ml water, 70 g sugar and 30 g cocoa powder in a saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer for 1 minute over low heat. Separately, heat 80 ml cream. Pour half of the hot cream over 100 g chopped dark chocolate and stir until smooth, then add the remaining cream and the cocoa syrup, stirring gently without incorporating air.

Fill the cooled profiteroles with vanilla cream using a piping bag just before serving, so the choux doesn't turn soggy.

Warm the chocolate sauce gently without boiling, spoon it onto the plates, arrange 3 profiteroles per serving, and serve immediately.