Benjamina Ebuehi’s recipe for chocolate and pumpkin spice choux buns

Whip winter squash puree into a creamy filling and pipe direct into the heart of a cracking seasonal pudding

At this time of year, I aim to get as much pumpkin as I can into my meals, including desserts. If I’ve been organised, I’ll roast and puree some from scratch, but I seem always to have at least one tin of pumpkin puree to hand, which I can use quickly in anything from pumpkin pies to cookies and muffins. Here, it’s whipped into cream with some spices, then piped into crackly puffs of choux for a chic, autumnal dessert.

Prep 10 min Cook 1 hr 15 min, plus cooling Makes 12

For the chocolate craquelin 60g unsalted butter 65g light brown sugar 10g cocoa powder 65g plain flour

For the choux 50ml milk 45g unsalted butter 60g plain flour 1 tsp sugar 1 pinch salt 1-2 large eggs For the filling 150g pumpkin puree 1 tsp ground cinnamon ¼ tsp ground cloves 1 tsp vanilla bean paste 90g cream cheese 75g icing sugar 150ml double cream 20g pecans, roughly chopped

Briefly mix the butter and sugar for the craquelin in a small bowl, until smooth and well combined, then work in the flour and cocoa powder to make a thick paste. Spread this evenly over a sheet of baking paper, top with a second sheet, then roll out to about 2-3mm thick and pop it in the freezer to firm up.

Meanwhile, make the choux. Put the milk, butter and 50ml water in a saucepan and heat until steaming and the butter has melted. Off the heat, add the flour, sugar and salt, and stir quickly to bring the dough together. Return to the heat, cook, stirring, for one or two minutes, then transfer to a clean bowl and leave to cool for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in a jug, then bit by bit work some into the dough, mixing until it’s all incorporated before adding more. The dough will look lumpy at first, but it will come together. Continue mixing in the eggs (you may not need all of them) until the mixture is glossy, falls easily, and leaves a V shape hanging when lifted with a spoon. Transfer to a piping bag, snip off 2½cm from the end and pipe 12 blobs of the choux dough on to a lined tray.

Heat the oven to 210C (190C fan)/410F/gas 6½. Take the chilled craquelin out of the freezer and, working quickly, use a round cutter roughly the same width as the piped choux to cut out 12 discs. Gently place a disc on each choux, then bake for 15 minutes. Turn down the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6 and bake for another 10-12 minutes, until the buns are puffy and firm to the touch. Remove and leave to cool completely.

Meanwhile, whisk the pumpkin puree, spices, vanilla and cream cheese in a bowl until smooth, then mix in the sugar. In a second bowl, whip the cream to very soft peaks, then fold into the pumpkin mix.

Use a sharp, serrated knife to trim the top off each choux bun just above halfway. Spoon the cream into a piping bag with an open-star nozzle, then pipe swirls into each bun. Sprinkle chopped pecans on top, then gently top with the choux “hats”. Serve at once.