Profiteroles

• 125g plain flour 
• Pinch salt
• ½ cup (125ml) milk
• ½ cup (125ml) water
• 100g unsalted butter, diced
• 4 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten

Festive chocolate mousse

• 150g Haigh’s Dark Chocolate Pastilles
• 150g Haigh’s Milk Chocolate Pastilles
• 3 extra-large eggs (at room temperature)
• ¼ cup caster sugar
• 300ml tub pure cream
• 2 tablespoons Cointreau
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice (optional)

Dark chocolate glaze

• ¼ cup (55g) caster sugar
• ¼ cup (60ml) water
• 2 tablespoons thickened cream
• 80g Haigh’s Dark Chocolate Pastilles
  

Decorations

• Haigh’s cabinet chocolates
• Edible gold leaf flakes*

1. For the chocolate mousse, pour boiling water into a large saucepan, about a quarter full and sit a large bowl on top, making sure the bottom does not touch the water. Add chocolate, stirring occasionally until chocolate melts. Remove bowl from heat and allow to cool slightly.

    

2. Whisk eggs and sugar in large mixing bowl using electric beaters until thick and mousse like. Add mixture to melted chocolate, folding gently to combine. 

    

3. Using same mixing bowl and beaters, whisk cream to soft peaks. Add 1/3 whipped cream to chocolate mixture, folding gently to loosen mixture. Add remaining cream, folding gently to combine. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

    

4. Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). Line two baking trays with baking paper.

    

5. To make profiteroles, sift flour and salt three times.

    

6. Combine water, milk and butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Once butter has melted, bring to boil and quickly add sifted flour mixture, stirring vigorously until mixture comes away from sides of the pan. Remove from heat and continue beating until mixture is smooth. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.

    

7. Using electric beaters or wooden spoon, gradually add beaten eggs, a little at a time, until mixture becomes glossy and resembles a thick cake batter.

    

8. Place mixture in piping bag with a plain 1cm nozzle. Pipe 30 x 3cm balls onto each prepared baking tray about 5cm apart. 

    

9. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until profiteroles are golden and puffed up. Remove from oven, poking a small hole into base of each profiterole using a skewer. Return profiteroles to oven for 5 minutes, to dry out. Place profiteroles on wire rack to cool completely. Repeat process with remaining batter, piping mixture into 1.5cm balls about 5cm apart.

    

10. For glaze, combine sugar and 1 ½ tablespoons water in small saucepan over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium and cook to a light caramel colour. Remove from heat, add remaining water and cream, to stop the mixture caramelising. Add chocolate, return mixture to low heat, stirring until smooth and combined, set aside and keep warm.

     

11. To prepare profiteroles, place chilled mousse in piping bag with a plain 0.5cm nozzle. Fill each profiterole with mousse through hole in base. Carefully dip each top in chocolate glaze, place on wire rack and decorate with gold leaf.

     

12. To assemble wreath, place large profiteroles on a serving platter in shape of wreath and top with small profiteroles. Decorate with Haigh’s loose chocolates and ribbon bow. Serve immediately.