Chocolate Éclairs

No teatime would be complete without the classic chocolate éclair. Difficult not to eat these before teatime!

📝 Ingredients

• 1 C (250 ml) water
• 1/2 C (125 ml) butter
• 1 C (250 ml) flour
• pinch of salt
• 4 eggs
• 1 C (250 ml) cream
• 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) vanilla essence
• 1 Tbsp (15 ml) castor sugar
• 100 g dark chocolate

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Preheat the oven to 220 °C.
2. 2Place the water and butter into a small saucepan and heat slowly until the butter has melted. Increase the heat and as soon as the mixture starts to boil, remove from the stove and add the flour and salt. Beat vigorously until the mixture forms a roux and comes away from the sides of the pot. Allow to cool for a few minutes.
3. 3Add the eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. The mixture should be smooth, thick and glossy. Fill a piping bag with the mixture and pipe finger-long or round éclairs about 5 cm apart. Bake for 15 minutes or until they have risen and are golden brown. Remove from the oven and make a slight incision in each one, returning it to the oven at a reduced temperature of 180 °C for a few minutes until it is cooked and hollow on the inside. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
4. 4Whisk the cream and vanilla essence together until soft peaks form, then add the castor sugar and continue to whisk until stiff.
5. 5Slice the éclairs in half lengthways and fill with the cream mixture. Melt the chocolate over a double boiler or in a microwave, drizzle over the éclairs and serve immediately.