Chocolate Eclairs
INGREDIENTS (Makes 16)
For choux pastry:
100g plain flour
Pinch of salt
75g butter cut into cubes
3 medium eggs whisked
For filling and topping:
285ml double cream
2 tea spoons of icing sugar
A few drops of vanilla essence
100g plain chocolate melted
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat over to 220C gas mk7
- Line 2 baking trays with baking parchment
- Sift flour and salt into a bowl
- In a pan, melt butter with 200ml water and bring to boil and remove from heat
- Tip in all the flour and beat with a wooden spoon to form a thick paste
- Return pan to the heat and beat until a smooth dry ball forms that leaves the side
of the pan clean
- Remove from heat and cool
- Gradually whisk in the eggs
- Put the paste into a piping bag with a 1cm plain nozel
- On baking trays pipe out 10cm fingers with a 3 cm gap between each one
- Bake for 20 mins reduce the oven temperature to 190C gas mk5 and cook for 15 mins
- Remove from oven and make a small slit in the side of each éclair, return to oven
for 5 mins to dry out, put on a wire rack and leave to cool
- Whip the cream with icing sugar and vanilla essence until it holds its shape
- Cut éclairs along one side and fill each with cream
- To finish spread melted chocolate on top.