Lisa Faulkner's choux hearts with berries recipe

Lisa Faulkner's choux hearts with berries are easy to make and taste delicious too. These are the perfect little heart-shaped treats for your loved ones on Valentine's Day or a playful dinner party dessert. This recipe makes 8 perfect pastries to share. Try experimenting with different fruit, such as blackberries, figs or stewed apples, or pick what's in season.

Ingredients

For the choux pastry:

• 90g butter
• 360ml water
• pinch salt
• pinch sugar
• 110g plain flour, sifted
• 3 whole eggs, beaten well

To serve:

• 500ml whipped cream
• 400g mixed fresh berries

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C, gas 6. Put the butter and water in a medium saucepan, add the salt and sugar, and bring to the boil. Make sure the butter is melted.
2. Remove from the heat, add the sifted flour all at once and really beat it in with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes away from the sides of the pan. Return to the heat and cook for 2 minutes until the paste is pale. Cool a little.
3. Add the beaten eggs, a little at a time, incorporating fully with a wooden spoon after each addition. The mixture will go glossy then back to dull. Add the eggs until the mixture is shiny again and it JUST drops off the wooden spoon. Cool the mixture for about 10 minutes. Put in a piping bag and pipe heart shapes on to a baking sheet dampened with a little water.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes then reduce the temperature to 160C, gas 3, and bake for a further 15-20 minutes until golden.
5. When cooked, turn the hearts over and pop back into the oven for 2 minutes to dry out a little. Split each heart in half horizontally and then spoon or pipe whipped cream on the base. Top with the other half and fill the centre with the fruit. Serve immediately.