Ingredients
Method
1.Make vanilla custard cream; combine cornflour, custard powder and sugar in a medium saucepan. Gradually add combined cream, milk and extract; stir over low heat until mixture boils and thickens. Add butter; simmer, stirring, 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in egg yolk. Place custard in a medium bowl; cover surface with plastic wrap, cool. Beat extra cream in a small bowl with an electric mixer until firm peaks form. Whisk custard until smooth; fold in whipped cream.
2.Preheat oven to 220°C/425°F. Grease oven trays.
3.To make choux pastry, combine the water, butter and sugar in a medium saucepan; bring to the boil. Add flour, beat with a wooden spoon over heat until mixture comes away from base of pan. Transfer pastry to a medium bowl; beat in eggs, one at a time with an electric mixer until pastry becomes smooth and glossy but will hold its shape.
4.Spoon pastry into a piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm (¾-inch) plain tube; pipe 5cm (2-inch) rings, about 5cm (2 inches) apart on trays.
5.Bake 10 minutes. Reduce oven to 180°C/350°F; bake a futher 15 minutes. Using a serrated knife, split rings in half, remove any soft centres; return to trays, bake further 5 minutes or until pastry rings are dry. Cool on trays.
6.Place chocolate and oil in a small heatproof bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water, stirring, until melted. Spread pastry tops with chocolate, sprinkle with nuts. Stand until chocolate is set.
7.Spoon custard cream into a piping bag fitted with a 2cm (¾-inch) fluted tube. Pipe custard cream on to pastry bases; top with plums. Top with pastry tops.
You need half a 1kg (2-pound) can plums for this recipe. You can use fresh plums when in season. Fill pastries up to an hour before serving.
Note
