Banana cream profiteroles with whiskey caramel

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6 and line a large baking tray with baking paper.

2. To make the choux pastry, melt the butter with 220ml/8fl oz water in a saucepan and bring to the boil, tip in the flour and, using a wooden spoon, immediately beat it until smooth. Remove the pan from the heat and continue to beat until it has cooled slightly.

3. Beat in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated and glossy. Set aside to cool.

4. Spoon into a piping bag. Pipe balls of the pastry onto the prepared baking tray, leaving a generous gap between each. Bake for 25 minutes. Hollow out a small hole in the pastry and bake for another 5 minutes. Set aside.

5. To make the banana filling, turn the oven down to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5.

6. Make a slit down each banana and fill with a third of the vanilla pod, honey and cinnamon. Wrap in kitchen foil and bake for 20 minutes. Scrape the flesh out of the skin and push through a sieve into a clean bowl. Mix with the lightly whipped cream and mascarpone. Pour into a piping bag and pipe into the buns. Set aside.

7. To make the whiskey caramel, heat the sugar over a low heat until melted. Remove from the heat then stir in a splash of whiskey and the double cream, then place over a low heat to warm. Set aside.

8. To serve, place the caster sugar in a pan over a low heat until melted. Dip each choux bun into the caramel and make a cone-shaped tower. Sprinkle caster sugar over the sliced banana and caramelise with a cook’s blowtorch. Scatter over the tower. Spoon over some whiskey caramel and finish with a dusting of icing sugar.