These little choux buns make a lovely dessert, but I also like to serve them as a teatime treat.
1 quantity choux pastry
100ml (scant ½ cup) whipping cream
20g (1½ tbsp) caster (superfine) sugar
½ quantity (375g/13oz) crème pâtissière, cooled
4 tbsp instant coffee powder, dissolved in 2 tbsp warm water
75ml (5 tbsp) Drambuie, or to taste
icing (confectioners’) sugar
cocoa powder
Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/Gas 6. Make the choux pastry, and shape and cook the buns following the method on Choux pastry. Cool on a wire rack.
To make the mousse, whip the cream with the sugar to a ribbon consistency and fold into the cooled crème pâtissière, then fold in the coffee and Drambuie.
Make a small opening in the side of each choux bun with the tip of a knife. Using a piping bag fitted with a plain 5 mm (¼in) nozzle, pipe a generous amount of coffee mousse into each bun.
To serve, dust half the choux buns with a little icing sugar and the rest with cocoa powder. Arrange on individual plates or a platter, allowing about 5 per person.