To ensure that the choux pastry is light and crisp, add only about 2 teaspoons of egg to the paste at a time and beat vigorously before adding any more.
ingredients
serves 6
1/3 cup cornstarch
3 tablespoons superfine sugar
3/4 pint semi-skimmed milk
2 tablespoons rum, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup blanched almonds
6 level tablespoons Greek yoghurt
1 large ripe mango, peeled, stoned and thinly sliced
for the choux pastry:
1/4 pint water
1/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup All purpose flour
1 egg, plus 1 egg white
method
OVEN: Preheat to 220°C (425°F)
1. Blend the cornstarch and 1/2 ounce of the sugar with the milk in a saucepan, and slowly bring to the boil, stirring continuously. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes, still stirring all the time.
2. Remove from the heat and beat in the rum or vanilla extract. Pour the custard into a bowl and put a disc of wetted nonstick baking paper directly on the custard to cover it completely. Leave to cool, then refrigerate for 1 - 2 hours.
3. Pencil a circle 7 inch in diameter firmly on a sheet of nonstick baking paper, using an upturned plate as a guide. Turn the paper over and lay it on a baking sheet.
4. To prepare the choux pastry ring, slowly heat the water and the margarine in a saucepan, until the margarine has melted. Bring to the boil, tip in all the flour and quickly stir it in. Beat over the heat until the mixture forms a ball of stiff paste. Remove from the heat and cool for 3-4 minutes.
5. Whisk the whole egg and the egg white and beat little by little into the cooled paste, using a hand-held electric mixer or a wooden spoon. Beat well between each addition of egg.
6. Put spoonfuls of the choux paste barely touching one another in a ring on the baking sheet, placing them just inside the pencilled circle. Alternatively, pipe the choux paste through a large, plain nozzle to form a thick ring just inside the pencilled circle.
7. Bake in the heated oven for 30 minutes until well risen, golden brown and firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and pierce with a knife in several places round the side of the ring, to let out the steam. Put the ring back in the oven for a further 10 minutes.
8. Lift the choux ring onto a wire rack and cut in half horizontally. Carefully separate the two halves and scoop out and discard any uncooked pastry from the centre. Leave the ring halves to cool completely.
9. Put the remaining superfine sugar and the almonds in a small saucepan, set over a very low heat and stir until the sugar dissolves and turns to a golden brown caramel; watch all the time, as it quickly burns and goes bitter. Pour onto a plate lined with nonstick baking paper, and leave to cool. When cold, grind finely in a food processor, or put between sheets of nonstick paper and crush firmly with a rolling pin on a sturdy surface to make a praline.
10. Remove the chilled custard from the refrigerator and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the yoghurt and all but two teaspoons of the praline mixture.
11. Just before serving time, put the bottom half of the choux ring on a flat serving plate and fill with the custard. Arrange the mango slices on top, then cover with the top half of the choux ring. Sprinkle on the remaining praline.
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