Ingredients

• 100g/3½oz butter
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• pinch salt
• 150g/5oz strong flour
• 4 eggs
• 100g/3½oz dark chocolate
• 150g/5½ oz fondant icing sugar
• 4 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1.2 litres/2 pints double cream
• 2 vanilla pods
• seeds only

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6 and line a baking sheet with baking paper
• and line a tray with baking paper.
• Put 250ml/9floz water into a pan with the salt
• sugar and butter and bring to the boil. Add the flour in one go and cook for a few minutes
• beating all the time
• until the mixture comes away from the sides of the pan cleanly and is smooth. It will sound like bacon frying in a pan when it’s ready!
• Tip out onto the lined tray and leave to cool in the fridge for 5 minutes.
• Transfer to a kitchen mixer or large bowl and beat in the eggs
• one at a time
• then continue to beat until the mixture is rich and smooth.
• Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a large
• plain nozzle
• then pipe 8 to 12 strips
• to make long éclair shapes
• onto the prepared baking sheet. Smooth out any bumps with the tip of a wet finger then sprinkle them with a little water.
• Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until golden-brown and crisp.
• Remove from the oven and transfer the éclairs from the baking tray to a wire rack to cool.
• Meanwhile
• put the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of water and simmer until the chocolate has melted.
• Remove from the heat and add the icing sugar and cocoa and beat together. Add 2 tablespoons of hot water from the saucepan and beat until smooth then add 3-4 more tablespoons
• a little at a time
• until you have a smooth shiny pourable icing. Place back over the pan of water
• off the heat
• to keep warm until ready to use.
• Whip the double cream until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed and spoon into a piping bag.
• Using the end of a clean
• ink free biro
• make a hole on the top of the éclair at either end. Carefully insert the nozzle into the holes
• and fill with the cream.
• Dip the éclairs into the fondant chocolate to cover the top evenly and leave to set before serving.