Ingredients

Step by step

1. For the pistachio cream, pour the milk into a saucepan and add half the sugar. Gently heat until simmering. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, use a balloon whisk to whisk the eggs, remaining sugar, pistachio crème and cornflour until smooth and combined. Once the milk is simmering, gradually whisk it into the egg mixture. Return the whole mixture to the pan and cook, whisking continuously over a medium heat, until very thick (it will go lumpy at first), about 7-10 minutes. Press through a sieve into a large bowl, cover with a crumpled sheet of baking paper and leave to cool. Bring the mascarpone to room temperature.

2. For the choux buns, preheat the oven to 220°C, fan 200°C, gas 7 and line two large baking trays with baking paper. Put the milk, butter, sugar, salt and 80ml of water in a saucepan. Heat over a medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until starting to come to the boil. As soon as it is boiling, tip in the sifted flour all at once, reduce the heat and beat well with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes away from the sides of the pan and forms a shiny ball of dough (30-60 seconds). Transfer to a large bowl to cool for 10 minutes. Beat in the eggs vigorously, a little at a time, until you have a smooth, shiny paste that is thick but pipeable – you may not need all the egg. Transfer to a piping bag, ensuring there are no air pockets, and snip off a 2cm opening. Pipe 3-4cm blobs onto the prepared tray, spaced about 4cm apart. You should get around 30 buns. Dip a finger in water and use to smooth out the peaks.

3. Transfer to the oven and reduce the temperature to 210°C, fan 190°C, gas 6½. Bake for 10 minutes, then turn the heat down again to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4 and bake for a further 15 minutes or until golden, crisp and puffed up. Remove from the oven and cool the buns on a wire rack.

4. Meanwhile, for the crunch, finely crush the Shredded Wheat in a bowl using the end of a rolling pin or your fingers. Melt the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat, then sprinkle over the 2 teaspoons of caster sugar and a pinch of salt. Cook for 1 minute, then stir through the Shredded Wheat. Cook until golden and it smells toasted, stirring regularly (up to 20 minutes). Set aside to cool.

5. Return to the pistachio cream: beat again until smooth, then beat in the mascarpone until combined and lump-free. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours to firm up.

6. For the salted chocolate sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan until foaming. Whisk in the cream until combined, followed by the brown sugar. Continue to whisk for 1-2 minutes until the sugar has dissolved, then remove from the heat and stir in the dark chocolate until melted and glossy. Leave to cool completely.

7. Once the pistachio cream has firmed up, transfer to a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle. Cut one-third off the top of each bun. Pipe some pistachio cream into the base of each choux bun, then divide the toasted Shredded Wheat among them and pipe more pistachio cream on top. Sit the choux lids back on top. Ideally chill in the fridge for 1 hour to allow the cream to firm up again (see Get ahead).

8. Transfer about a third of the cooled salted chocolate sauce to a piping bag. Pipe blobs of sauce onto a flat serving plate or board (about 28cm diameter) to help the buns stick. Build each layer of the tower, piping more sauce as needed to help the next layer stick; as a guide you’ll need 12 buns on the bottom layer, 8 buns on the second layer, 6 buns on the third, 3 on the fourth and 1 on top. Warm the leftover salted chocolate sauce just enough to loosen it, then drizzle it all over the profiteroles. Sprinkle with the chopped pistachios and gold decorations, if using. Serve with the remaining chocolate sauce in a jug on the side.