How To Make Chocolate Eclairs

Serves:

9

Preparation Time:

10 minutes

Cooking Time:

1 hour

Oven Temperature:

190

370° c - ° f

190

Step 1:

You will need….

• for the choux pastry
• 200 ml water
• 120 g butter
• 1 cups (250ml) flour
• 5 eggs
• a pinch of salt
• for the pastry cream:
• 500 ml cream
• 250 g sugar
• for chocolate topping:
• 150 g cooking chocolate
• 60 g butter
• 2 medium pans
• 1 piping bag with medium nozzle
• greaseproof paper
• 1 whisk
• 1 wooden spoon
• 1 bowl
• cling film
• 1 small knife
• 1 baking tray

Step 2:

Boil the water and butter

Place the small pan on a medium heat. Add the water, spoon in the butter, add the salt and bring to the boil.

Step 3:

Preheat oven

Set the oven to 190ºC (375ºF/ gas mark 5).

Step 4:

Make choux dough

Once boiling, add the flour to the pan of water and stir well with your wooden spoon until it forms a smooth dough. Then set aside to cool.

Step 5:

Make the pastry cream

Begin by adding the cream and sugar into the large bowl. Then taking your whisk, whisk it continuously until the cream starts to form stiff peaks. Cover the bowl with cling film and place into the fridge until you need to use it.

Step 6:

Add eggs to pastry

When the pastry has cooled down add in one egg and thoroughly combine using your wooden spoon, then continue to add all the eggs one by one until the dough has formed a smooth, elastic appearance.

Step 7:

Transfer dough into piping bag

Open the piping bag and spoon in the pastry dough. When half filled, close the bag and squeeze the dough down to create enough room for the rest of the dough. When full, close the bag once more and give it one final squeeze down.

Step 8:

Pipe the dough

Cover the baking tray with a piece of greaseproof paper and pipe the pastry dough into roughly 3cm wide and 15cm long, log shaped cylinders. They are now ready to bake.

Step 9:

Bake

Place the baking tray into the centre of the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Step 10:

Make the chocolate sauce

Whilst the pastry is cooking we can melt the chocolate, so place a pan on a low heat and cover with the bowl of chocolate and butter. Allow to melt slowly.

Step 11:

Remove from oven

When cooked remove the cooked éclairs from the oven and allow to cool.

Step 12:

Fill with cream

When cooled, slice the length of each of the éclairs with a sharp knife and make a slight opening. Then with a spoon fill all the éclairs with the cream.

Step 13:

Decorate with chocolate

With a spoon, dribble the melted chocolate lengthways over each éclair and leave them to cool. You could even pop them in the fridge.

Step 14:

Serve

Serve these mouth-watering éclairs for dessert or as a special treat.