Choc 'n' spice profiteroles

Ingredients

Directions

Preheat oven to 400'F. (205'C.). Lightly grease several baking sheets.

Sift flour and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon onto waxed paper. Pour water into a saucepan. Add 3-½ tablespoons butter and heat gently until butter melts. Do not allow water to boil before butter melts. Rapidly bring to a boil, remove form heat and add flour all at once. Using a wooden spoon, stir quickly to form a smooth mixture. Return pan to medium heat a few seconds and beat well until dough forms a smooth ball and leaves sides of pan clean.

Remove from heat and cool slightly. Gradually add eggs, a little at a time, beating well after each addition to form a smooth shiny dough.

Transfer dough to a pastry bag fitted with a ¾" plain tube. Pipe 24 small balls onto greased baking sheets.

Bake in preheated oven 20 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350'F. (175'C.) and continnue cooking 15-20 minutes longer or until well risen, crisp and sound hollow when tapped on bottoms. Make a slit in side of each pastry to allow steam to escape. Cool on a wire rack.

Whip cream, powdered sugar and coffee flavoring until thick. Spoon into a pastry bag fitted with a small star tube. Pipe cream into pastry or use a teaspoon to fill pastry with cream. Arrange profiteroles in a pyramid-shape on a serving dish.

Melt chocolate and remaining butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. Stir in Tia Maria and corn syrup and continue stirring until sauce is smooth and coats back of a spoon.

Spoon chocolate sauce over profiteroles and let stand a few minutes.

Mix remaining ½ teaspoon of cinnamon with superfine sugar and sprinkle over profiteroles.

NOTE: Profiteroles are at their best served 2 hours after assembling when they have softened slightly.