Method

Caramel Sauce

Add the sugar and water to a small pot over medium-high heat and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil and cook until the sugar has dissolved. Reduce to a medium heat and add the butter. Whisk to combine and simmer until the mixture turns a rich amber colour. Remove the pot from the heat and gently stir in the cream, then whisk well to combine. If the caramel sets a little before you use it, you can loosen it up with a splash of hot water while reheating. 

Compote 

Add the butter, sugar, cinnamon and ginger to a sauce pot and set it over low heat. Once the butter and sugar are melted, add the apples and cook for 8-10 minutes until the apples are soft but still have some bite. Remove from the heat and cool. 

Profiteroles

Preheat the oven to 220 ºC and line a baking tray with baking paper. 

Add the butter, milk and salt to a medium size pot over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, bring the milk to the point where it just starts to boil then remove it from the heat and add the flour. Work the flour in with a spatula and mix until a dough forms. 

Return the pot to a low heat and cook while stirring for 2-3 minutes. If you have a digital thermometer, you want the dough to reach anywhere from 75-77 ºC. This ensures that the starches in the flour gelatinise, which helps your profiteroles to puff. If you don’t have a digital thermometer, just watch the bottom of the pot as you cook the dough. After about 2 minutes, a film should form on the bottom of the pot, this is the sign that you’ve cooked it for long enough. 

Remove the pot from the heat and let the pot and dough cool for at least 5 minutes. This prevents the eggs from scrambling when you mix them in. Pour the egg in little by little; work it into the dough using a wooden spoon or silicone spatula between additions until all the egg is mixed in. The dough should resemble a thick batter. 

Scoop the dough into a piping bag and pipe medium size profiteroles onto a paper-lined tray. You can also just dollop onto the tray using a spoon. Ensure that they are well spaced apart as they will enlarge considerably. Spritz the top of profiteroles with a little water then lightly press the top peak of each profiterole flat so it doesn’t burn in the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden. 

After 20-25 minutes, turn the oven off and crack the door and let them sit in the oven for an additional 15 minutes to crisp up. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before slicing open and assembling. While they are cooling, whip the cream. 

Cream

Pour the cream and vanilla into a clean bowl. Whisk until soft peaks form, then add the icing sugar and continue whisking until stiff peaks form.

To Assemble

Slice the tops of the profiteroles so that you can open up. Add a little compote to each profiterole, then add a dollop of cream (it is easier to insert using a piping bag).

Top with a little additional apple compote (this ensures that there’s compote in each bite). Close the tops and then drizzle with caramel and a dusting of icing sugar and serve.