Choux buns
200g butter, cut into cubes
500ml water
260g plain flour
8 eggs
1. Put the butter and water in a large saucepan and bring to a very gentle simmer. As soon as all the butter has melted, tip in the flour. Take off the heat and beat together thoroughly.
2. Add the whole eggs, one at a time, and work into the mix.
3. Pipe dollops onto a tray lined with baking paper. Place in an oven preheated to 200°C and cook for 15 minutes. Check that the buns are fully puffed and nicely coloured, then turn the temperature down to 150°C and bake for a further 30 minutes to dry them out.
4. When the buns feel hollow and bouncy, turn onto a wire rack to cool. Once cooled, split and fill with lollies. Put aside.
To assemble
200g each dark and white chocolate
2 bought round sponge cakes
150ml Cointreau
500g sugar, for molten toffee
600ml cream
3/4 cup caster sugar
50ml Cointreau
2 punnets strawberries, sliced
icing sugar, for dusting
1. Smear melted chocolate onto a food safe surface outlining the shape of a heart. Split the sponge cakes, soak in the Cointreau and place along the inside of the chocolate-shaped heart. Place the lolly filled buns around the outside of the chocolate heart. To keep everything in shape drizzle molten toffee around, which will set hard.
2. To make the toffee, put the sugar in a heavy based pot. Place the pot on medium heat and gently melt the sugar until it reaches a rich toffee colour. Use immediately. (Warning: hot toffee burns – keep it out of reach of children.)
3. When the toffee hardens, whip the cream till firm, then whip in the caster sugar and the additional Cointreau.
4. Fill the centre of the cake with the cream mixture and then top with cut strawberries. Dust with icing sugar and get married!!
