Chocolate Éclairs

Once more into the breach as I continue to share recipes with you to allow you to be able to create a lavish afternoon tea party yes it really is a quest for me because I was quite taken aback when I heard that people were paying upwards of £80 per head to partake in afternoon tea I just can't believe that someone would pay that much for some nice sandwiches some nice cakes and a pot of tea.I understand it's because your'e paying for the experience, The name of the establishment, the background music, the heavily starched table covers and the sound of people opening their wallets and purses and handing over those crisp notes straight from the cash point. just to feel special.after all we are all in together.

With these recipes we can provide our own afternoon tea experience for a fraction of the cost in fact we can probably provide afternoon tea for 20 people for £80 we all have serene background music we can play a nice table cloth we could starch,as for the name of the establishment just call it my Home.As for the sound of people opening their wallets and purses and producing those crisp notes that will surely be replaced  by the sound of people enjoying themselves and laughing at those you pay this money then we can say we are all in it together.
So to our recipe this is slightly more difficult than a most of my recipes but if you follow the steps to the letter it will be worth it and these éclairs will really look spectacular so without any more rabbiting on. The recipe

Chocolate Éclairs

Ingredients

Choux pastry ( Pie dough):

150 ml/ 1/4 Pint/ 2/3 cup water

60 g/ 2oz/ 1/4 cup butter, cut into small pieces

90 g/ 3oz/ 3/4 cup strong plain (all-purpose) flour, sieved (strained)

2 eggs

Patisserie cream:

2 eggs, lightly beaten

50 g/ 1 3/4 oz/ 4tbsp caster (superfine) sugar

2 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)

300 ml/ 1/2 pint/ 1/4 cups milk

1/4 tsp vanilla flavouring (extract)

Icing:

25 g/ 1 oz/ 2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp milk

1 tbsp cocoa powder

100 g/ 3 1/2 oz/ 1/2 cup icing (confectionares') sugar

a little white chocolate, melted

Instructions

1.Lightly grease a baking tray (cookie sheet). Place the water in a saucepan, add the butter and heat gently until the butter melts. Bring to a rolling boil, then remove the pan from the heat and add the flour in one go, beating well until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan and forms a ball. Leave to cool slightly, then gradually beat in the eggs to form a smooth, glossy mixture. Spoon into a large piping bag fitted with a 1 cm/ 1/2 inch plain nozzle (tip).

2.Sprinkle the tray (sheet) with a little water. Pipe eclairs 7.5 cm/ 3 inches long spaced well apart. Bake in a preheated oven, 200oC/ 400oF/ Gas Mark 6, for 30-35 minutes or until crisp and golden. Make a small slit in each one to let the steam escape; cool on a rack.

3.To make the patisserie cream, whisk the eggs until and sugar until thick and creamy, then fold in the cornflour (cornstarch). Heat the milk until almost boiling and pour on to the eggs, whisking. Transfer to the pan and cook over a low heat, stirring until thick. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the flavouring (extract). Cover with baking parchment and cool. To make the icing, melt the butter with the milk in a pan, remove from the heat and stir in the cocoa and icing sugar. Split the eclairs lengthways and pipe in the patisserie cream. Spread icing over the top of the eclair. Spoon over the white chocolate, swirl in and leave to set.

Macs tip

To save time instead of Patisserie cream: you could use fresh whipped cream.
A alternative topping can be made by melting 4oz dark chocolate then gradually adding the juice from a tin of peaches till it reaches a coating consistency.

Chocolate facts.

Cocoa and chocolate can increase the level of serotonine in the brain. Serotonine levels are often decreased in people with depression and in those experiencing PMS symptoms