Profiteroles with Toffee Sauce

Directions

Advance: Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6.

Grease a baking sheet with 1 teaspoon of the butter.

Make the choux paste.

Bring the water and 100g/3oz of the butter to the boil.

Tip in the flour. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon, until the mixture comes away from the sides of the pan. Remove from the heat. Stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Allow to cool. Beat in 1 egg at a time. Put it into a piping bag and pipe 30 to 40 small bun shapes on the prepared baking sheet. Bake in the middle of the oven for approximately 10 minutes or until the choux pastry has risen to more than double its size and is golden. Make the sauce. Mix the cream, sugar, cocoa and syrup in a pan. Bring to the boil, stirring, then lower the heat, continue stirring and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until the sauce is thick and golden brown. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the butter and add vanilla sugar to taste. Stir occasionally while the sauce cools. Cut a split in the profiteroles and fill each with vanilla ice cream. Stack them on a serving plate in a pyramid shape. Pour over the sauce. If there is any sauce left over, serve separately.