Chocolate Puff Puff

STEP 1: ROAST THE PLANTAIN

Heat the oven to 200°C / 400°F. Halve the plantain lengthways, lay it cut side down on a lined tray and roast for 20–25 minutes, until collapsed and caramelising at the edges. Scoop out the flesh and blend it smooth with 2 tbsp of the milk to a purée the consistency of thick apple sauce. The skin must be fully blackened before it goes in the oven; an underripe plantain gives a starchy, heavy filling that longer roasting will not rescue.

STEP 2: MAKE THE PASTRY CREAM BASE

Heat the remaining milk with half the granulated sugar until it is steaming but not boiling. Whisk the egg yolks, the remaining sugar, the cornstarch and the fine salt to a smooth paste. Pour in a third of the hot milk while whisking to temper, then return everything to the pan.

STEP 3: FINISH AND CHILL THE PASTRY CREAM

Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and then boils for a full 60 seconds — the cornstarch needs that boil to lose its raw edge and to set properly. Off the heat, beat in the cold butter and the vanilla extract. Pass through a fine sieve, fold in the plantain purée, press cling film directly onto the surface and chill for at least 2 hours. It should pipe cleanly and hold its shape without being stiff.

STEP 4: MAKE THE RASPBERRY COULIS

Simmer the raspberries, granulated sugar, lemon juice and water for 6–8 minutes, until the fruit has completely broken down. Blend, then pass through a fine sieve, pressing hard, and discard the seeds. Keep it sharp: this is the acid that cuts the dark chocolate, and sweetening it to please the palate on its own will cost the plate its balance. Chill until needed.

STEP 5: BAKE THE SPICY PEANUT CRUMBLE

Heat the oven to 175°C / 350°F. Pulse the roasted peanuts to a coarse rubble rather than a powder. Mix with the light brown sugar, flour, cayenne pepper, ground ginger, paprika and flaky salt, then stir through the melted butter until it clumps. Spread on a lined tray and bake for 12–14 minutes, stirring once, until deeply toasted. Cool completely — it crisps as it cools — then break into pieces.

STEP 6: MIX THE PUFF PUFF BATTER

Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, instant yeast, fine salt and nutmeg together in a large bowl. Add the warm water and beat hard for 2–3 minutes, by paddle or wooden spoon, until smooth, glossy and elastic. This is a thick batter rather than a kneadable dough: it should fall from the spoon in a slow ribbon and hold a brief peak. Fold in the chopped dark chocolate — chop it, never melt it, so it softens into discrete pockets in the fried crumb rather than tinting it uniformly.

STEP 7: PROVE THE BATTER

Cover and prove in a warm place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until doubled, domed and visibly bubbled. Under-proved batter fries dense and greasy, and proving time cannot be hurried.

STEP 8: FRY THE PUFF PUFFS

Heat the neutral oil to 175°C / 350°F in the deep, heavy pan and hold it there with a thermometer. Below 170°C the batter drinks oil and goes heavy; above 185°C the outside sets before the centre cooks and the chocolate scorches. Portion with a #24 scoop or two dessertspoons, roughly 2 1/2 tbsp each, lowering the batter gently into the oil and frying 6–8 at a time so the temperature does not crash. Turn them as they colour; they will usually right themselves. Fry 4–5 minutes in total, until deep and evenly coloured and a skewer comes out clean, then drain on a rack rather than paper and let the oil come back up between batches.

STEP 9: MAKE THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Heat the heavy cream to just below boiling and pour it over the finely chopped dark chocolate. Leave it one full minute, then stir from the centre outwards until smooth and glossy, and stir in the corn syrup and the pinch of fine salt. Let it cool to a thick, pourable consistency, around 32°C / 90°F, warming it briefly over a water bath if it stiffens too far.

STEP 10: FILL AND PLATE

Fill the puff puffs while still warm but no longer hot. Pierce each one with the filling nozzle and pipe in the plantain pastry cream until it feels weighty and just resists, roughly 1 1/2 tbsp each. Drag the raspberry coulis across each plate first so it sits under and beside the puff puffs rather than over them, then set three on top. Spoon the warm ganache over, letting it run, and scatter the peanut crumble over and around, finishing with a little flaky salt. Serve at once: the contrast of warm dough, cool cream and crisp crumble lasts about ten minutes.