Ingredients

• 100g/3½oz plain flour or strong white flour
• pinch salt
• 75g/2½oz butter
• 4 free-range eggs
• 200g/7oz icing sugar
• 25g/1oz cocoa powder
• 50g/1¾oz icing sugar
• sifted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 400ml/14fl oz whipped cream
• whipped volume (about 200ml/7fl oz unwhipped double cream)

Directions

• For the pastry
• sift the flour and a pinch of salt into a large bowl and set aside.
• Put 150ml/5½fl oz water and the butter into a saucepan set over a medium-high heat and stir until the butter melts. Allow the mixture to come to a rolling boil
• then immediately remove the pan from the heat.
• Add the flour and salt and beat very well with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together.
• Reduce the heat to medium and replace the saucepan over the heat. Stir for a minute until the mixture starts to slightly stick to the base of the pan. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a minute.
• Beat three eggs together and pour about one-quarter of the beaten egg into the pan. Using the wooden spoon
• beat very well until incorporated. Add a little more egg and beat well again until the mixture comes back together. Continue to add the egg
• beating vigorously all the time
• until the mixture has softened
• is nice and shiny and has a dropping consistency. You may not need to add all the egg or you may need a little extra. If the mixture is too stiff (not enough egg) then the choux pastries will be too heavy
• but if the mixture is too wet (too much egg)
• they will not hold their shape when spooned onto baking paper.
• Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7. Line a baking tray with parchment paper (not greaseproof paper
• as the éclairs may stick when cooked).
• Place the dough into a piping bag fitted with the 5-8mm/¼ - 3/8in nozzle and pipe into lengths approximately 10cm/4in long onto the prepared baking tray
• spaced about 4cm/1½in apart to allow for expansion. Use a small wet knife to stop the dough coming out when you have finished piping each éclair.
• Beat the remaining egg and gently brush it over the éclairs. Bake in the oven for ten minutes
• then reduce the oven temperature to 200C/400F/Gas 6 and continue to cook for a further 15–20 minutes
• or until the éclairs are puffed up
• golden-brown and crisp.
• Remove the éclairs from the oven and
• using a skewer or the tip of a small sharp knife
• make a hole in the side or the base of each éclair. Return to the oven and bake for a further five minutes to allow the steam to escape. Transfer the éclairs to a wire rack to cool.
• For the chocolate glacé icing
• sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder into a bowl. Add 1-2 tablespoons of boiling water and stir to mix
• adding a little more boiling water if necessary until the icing is spreadable but not too watery.
• For the crème Chantilly filling
• fold the sifted icing sugar and vanilla extract into the whipped cream. Chill in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
• When the éclairs are cool
• spoon the crème chantilly into a clean piping bag fitted with the small
• plain nozzle and pipe the cream into the éclairs through the hole made during cooking until they are well filled.
• Using a small palette knife or table knife that has been standing in a jug of hot water (to make spreading the icing easier)
• spread the icing over the top of each éclair
• dipping the knife into the hot water between each éclair. Serve.