Adriana's Italian Recipe for Mini Profiteroles

Mini Profiteroles
(Bignole)

Ingredients:

2 ounces (60 grams) butter 5 ounces (150 grams) flour 3 large eggs 3 and 1/2 ounces (100 grams) hazelnuts, chopped fairly finely 2 tbsp sugar 5 fluid ounces (140 ml) double cream 1 tbsp Frangelico liqueur (optional) 3 ounces (90 grams) plain chocolate

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425� F (220� C). Heat the butter with 9 fluid ounces (250 ml) water in a small pan.

When the water comes to a boil, draw it off the heat, tip all the flour into the pan and beat the mixture until it is smooth and comes away from the edge of the pan. Let cool for 20 minutes, then beat in the eggs one by one, to make a soft, glossy paste. Mix in 2 tbsp of hazelnuts. Drop teaspoonfuls on to a baking sheet lined with non-stick paper (pipe the mixture for perfect puffs) and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until puffed up and golden. Cool on a rack, poking a hole in the base of each puff to let the steam escape. In a food processor, grind the remaining hazelnuts finely with the sugar. Add the cream (and a splash of Frangelico if you have it) and pulse until the cream is thickened and lightly whipped.

Spoon into a piping bag and use to fill the puffs. Drizzle with melted chocolate and keep in the fridge until ready to eat. (Freeze any leftover chocolate-coated bignole for up to two weeks). Makes about 40 small bignole. That's it!