Caramel choux puffs

Start by making the choux buns. Have the sifted flour ready in a bowl and keep a wooden spoon on hand. Put the cubed butter and a pinch of salt in a saucepan with 225ml water. Slowly bring to the boil and, when the liquid bubbles furiously, tip in all the flour, remove from the heat and beat vigorously with the wooden spoon. As soon as the mixture starts to leave the sides of the pan, stop beating and spread it out on a plate to cool to warm.

Return the warm mixture to the pan and gradually beat in the egg until you have a smooth mixture that drops from a jolted spoon. You may not need to add all the egg. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a large, plain nozzle (or just use a teaspoon).

Heat the oven to 200c/fan 180c/gas 6 and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Pipe walnut-sized rounds (or heaped teaspoonfuls) onto the baking sheet, leaving space between each. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until deep golden, puffed and firm. Pierce each base with a skewer to release the steam inside and return to the oven for a couple of minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

whip the cream with the icing sugar and vanilla seeds until it holds its shape. fold in the fromage frais, then gently marble in the dulce de leche. either cut each choux bun in half and spoon the cream mixture in to fill generously, or use a piping bag fitted with a fine nozzle to pipe the filling into each through the steam hole you made.

To make the caramel, put the sugar in a heavy-based pan with 100ml water and heat gently, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Stop stirring and bring the liquid up to a rolling boil; simmer for 5 minutes or so, until the mixture turns a deep amber colour. You may swirl the pan occasionally, but don’t stir or the sugar will clump and crystallise. Carefully add 60ml water, swirling the pan and simmering until the caramel has come together again. Cool for 5 minutes.

Cautiously – the caramel is still hot so you should use tongs or two forks – dip each bun into the thick caramel sauce to coat, then stack up on serving plates (sticking together with the caramel). Pour the remaining caramel all over the top.