INGREDIENTS
CHOUX PASTRY
- 150 ml / 5 fl oz water
- 70 g / 2 1/2 oz butter, diced, plus extra for greasing
- 100 g / 3 1/2 oz plain flour, sifted
- 2 eggs
PASTRY CREAM
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 4 tbsp caster sugar
- 2 tbsp cornflour
- 300 ml / 10 fl oz milk
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
ICING
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp milk
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- 55 g / 2 oz icing sugar
- 50 g / 1 3/4 oz white chocolate, broken into pieces
INSTRUCTION
Preheat the oven to 200’C / 400’F / Gas Mark 6. Lightly grease a baking tray.
Place the water in a saucepan, add the butter and heat gently until the butter melts. Bring to a rolling boil, then remove the saucepan from the heat and add the flour all at once, beating well until the mixture leaves the sides of the saucepan and forms a ball. Leave to cool slightly, then gradually beat in the eggs to form a smooth, glossy mixture. Spoon into a large piping bag fitted with a 1 cm / 1/2 inch plain nozzle.
Sprinkle the baking tray with a little water. Pipe eclairs 7.5 cm / 3 inches long, spaced well apart. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until crisp and golden. Make a small slit in the side of each eclair to let the steam escape, then leave to cool on wire rack.
Meanwhile, make the pastry cream . Whisk the eggs and caster sugar until thick and creamy, then fold in the cornflour. Heat the milk until almost boiling and pour onto the egg mixture, whisking. Transfer to the saucepan and cook over a low heat, stirring until thick. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Cover and leave to cool.
To make the icing, melt the butter with the milk in a saucepan, remove from the heat and stir in the cocoa and icing sugar. Split the eclairs lenghtways and pipe in the pastry cream. Spread the icing over the top of the eclairs. Melt a little white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water, then drizzle over the chocolate icing and leave to set.
Making & Baking 