Choux Pastry Buns with Coffee and Caramelised Almonds

To make the choux pastry buns: 

It is best to do this with an electric hand whisk so get that ready and have all the ingredients weighed out before you start.  

Place the butter and 200ml of cold water in a pan and bring to the boil. Take it off the heat and immediately add the flour and salt. Beat for a minute or so, until a thick paste, that comes away from the sides of the pan forms. Leave to cool.  

Pre heat the oven on the steam bake, low humidity setting to 200oc.  

Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.  

Once the paste is cool, add the eggs a little at a time, beating it until each addition is incorporated before adding in the next.  Once all the egg has been added and you have a shiny paste, place it into a piping bag with a wide nozzle. 

Pipe into 6 large rounds.  

Bake in the oven for 25 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and turn each one over adding a little hole in the bottom with a skewer or knife to let the steam out, return them to the oven (with the hole facing upwards) for another 5 minutes to dry out.  Then take them out of the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack. 

Note: Once cool they can be kept in an airtight container for 2-3 days, simply pop them in a hot oven to crisp up when ready to use and leave to cool.  

To make the caramel sauce:  

Place the butter, sugar and cream in a pan. Place over a low heat and allow the butter to melt.  

Once melted bring to a gently simmer and simmer for 5 minutes until thickened slightly then leave to cool then sprinkle in a little salt.  

To make the coffee crème patisserie: 

Whisk the egg yolks and sugar until pale and slightly thickened. Then whisk in the flours.  

Heat the milk and espresso in a pan to just below simmering. Pour the milk onto the egg mixture whisking all the time.  

Add it back to the pan, stirring all the time until it boils and becomes thick. 

Remove the pan from the heat, covering the surface with cling film and leave to cool.  

Once cool, lightly beat to loosen then place it in a piping bag ready for use.  

To make the caramelized almonds: 

Place the almonds and sugar in a frying pan and place on a medium heat.  Stir well to coat all the almonds in the sugar.  Keep stirring until the sugar melts and turns lightly golden then tip out onto a piece of greaseproof paper to cool. 

To serve, cut the choux buns in half with a serrated knife then fill with the coffee cream. Replace the top.  

Serve with the caramel sauce, a dusting of icing sugar and a sprinkling of almonds praline.