Ingredients

• 250ml/9fl oz water
• 115g/4oz butter
• 200g/7oz plain flour
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• pinch salt
• 4 free-range eggs
• 50g/2oz dark chocolate
• chopped
• 150g/5½oz fondant icing sugar
• 2 tbsp dark cocoa powder
• 450ml/16fl oz double cream

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
• Heat the water and butter in a saucepan until the butter has melted.
• Beat in the flour
• sugar and salt until the mixture is smooth
• then continue to cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and beat in the eggs
• one at a time
• until smooth and glossy.
• Set aside to cool
• then spoon the dough into a piping bag fitted with a medium size nozzle.
• Pipe 12.5cm/5in lines onto the baking tray and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes
• or until golden-brown and crisp.
• Remove the éclairs from the oven and set aside to cool on a wire rack.
• Meanwhile
• heat the dark chocolate and two tablespoons of water in a saucepan until the chocolate has melted.
• Sieve the icing sugar and cocoa into a bowl
• then add the melted chocolate and water and beat until the mixture is smooth and thickened.
• Spoon the mixture into a piping bag.
• Whip the double cream in a bowl until stiff peaks just form when the whisk is removed. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a small nozzle. Carefully insert the nozzle into the base of the éclairs and fill with cream.
• Pipe the fondant chocolate on top of the éclairs and set aside until set.