Chocolate Eclairs

Ingredients

• 300ml thickened cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon caster sugar
• 100g dark chocolate, chopped
• 15g butter

• Basic choux pastry

• 60g butter, chopped
• 2/3 cup plain flour
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten

Method

1. Preheat oven to 220°C/200°C fan-forced. Line 2 large baking trays with baking paper.
2. Make basic choux pastry: Combine butter and 2/3 cup cold water in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until butter has melted and mixture just starts to boil.
3. Reduce heat to low. Add flour. Cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes or until mixture comes away from side of pan and forms a ball. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
4. Reserve 2 teaspoons egg. Using a wooden spoon, gradually beat in remaining egg until well combined and mixture forms a glossy dough (mixture should drop from the spoon).
5. Spoon dough into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm plain nozzle. Pipe 12cm long logs, 6cm apart, onto prepared trays. Brush with reserved egg.
6. Bake 1 tray of eclairs for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden and puffed. Using a small knife, carefully cut eclairs in half horizontally. Return to oven, cut-side up. Bake for 5 minutes to dry out centres. Cool on tray. Increase temperature to 220°C/200°C fan-forced. Repeat with remaining tray.
7. Using an electric mixer, beat cream, vanilla and sugar until firm peaks. Place chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium-high (75%) for 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth, stirring every 30 seconds.
8. Spoon cream into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm fluted nozzle. Pipe cream evenly over eclair bases. Spread tops with chocolate mixture and place over cream. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or until chocolate has set. Serve.

Ingredients

• 60ml (1/4 cup) milk
• 60ml (1/4 cup) water
• 50g butter, chopped
• 75g (1/2 cup) plain flour
• 2 eggs, lightly whisked
• 100g dark chocolate melts, melted

• custard cream

• 2 tbs custard powder
• 2 tbs caster sugar
• 250ml (1 cup) milk
• 300ml thickened cream

Method

1. Preheat oven to 220°C. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Place the milk, water and butter in a medium non-stick saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until the butter melts and the mixture comes to the boil. Remove from heat (see tip 1). Add the flour and use a wooden spoon to stir until mixture forms a ball and comes away from the side of the pan (see tip 2). Flatten mixture over base of pan and set aside for 10 minutes to cool slightly.
2. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl. Use an electric beater to gradually beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, until mixture is thick and glossy (see tip 3). Place a 2cm diameter plain nozzle into a clean piping bag and spoon in the mixture. Pipe 10 thick lines, about 10cm long, about 4cm apart, on the lined tray. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until puffed and golden. Use a small knife to make a cut into side of each eclair and return to oven for a further 10 minutes. Turn oven off and leave eclairs inside to cool until required (see tip 4).
3. Meanwhile, to make custard cream, combine custard powder and sugar in a small saucepan over low heat. Gradually stir in milk and cook, using a wooden spoon to stir, for 2 minutes or until the mixture thickens. Transfer to a large heatproof bowl. Cover the surface with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill. Use an electric beater to beat the custard until smooth. Add the cream and continue beating until soft peaks form. Place a 2cm diameter plain nozzle into a clean piping bag and spoon in the custard cream.
4. Use a sharp knife to cut each eclair lengthways, without cutting all the way through. Use your fingers to remove any soft pastry inside. Pipe custard cream into each eclair. Spread the top of each eclair evenly with the melted chocolate and place in the fridge for 10 minutes or until chocolate is set.

Notes

• 
  Tip 1: Make sure you remove the butter, water and milk mixture from the heat before adding the flour. Tip 2: When adding the flour to the melted butter mixture, make sure you add it all at once and stir well with a wooden spoon. This helps the mixture cook evenly. Tip 3: Cool slightly before beating in the egg, or the heat may cook the egg. The dough should be shiny and just fall from the spoon. Tip 4: Shape and bake. Once cooked, cut a slit in the choux puffs. This allows steam to escape. Return to the oven and bake until crisp.