For the next edition of The Student Oven, it’s chocolate again, of course! These treats are a delicious take on the traditional chocolate éclair, making it an even more decadent and indulgent pastry than it already is. You should certainly experiment with different topping and fillings to suit your own tastes, simply take the initial choux pastry recipe and put your own stamp on it from there. These eclairs can be a stylish addition to a buffet or even a dessert in their own right, but they can equally be enjoyed in a less formal way at home, for a delicious chocolatey treat. The following recipe is at times quite technical and precise but, unless you choose to use a syringe to fill the eclairs, it does not require any specialist equipment.
Makes 6 large or 8 medium-sized éclairs
Ingredients
For the choux pastry:
· 50g unsalted butter, cut into cubes
· 150ml lukewarm water
· 65g plain flour
· 2 large free-range eggs, beaten thoroughly
For the filling:
· 200ml double or whipping cream
· A drop of vanilla extract
For the topping
· 150ml dark or milk chocolate
· 1 large banana
· 50g walnuts, finely chopped
Method
1. Heat the oven to 200C/425F/gas mark 7.
2. To make the choux pastry, put the cubed butter and water into a fairly large saucepan over a low heat and bring to the boil slowly, stirring occasionally.
3. Then, add the flour, remove from the heat and beat the mixture vigorously until you have a smooth, thick paste.
4. Return the pan to the heat and stir the mixture until it dries out a little and comes away from the side of the pan to form a soft ball.
5. Remove from the heat again and wait for it to cool slightly.
6. Then, gradually add the eggs, beating thoroughly between each addition, until the mixture is smooth, fairly thick and glossy.
7. Next, carefully spoon the choux mixture into a piping bag.
8. Onto your lightly greased baking trays, pipe the choux mixture in 7.5cm lengths. Leave a bit of space in between each éclair; they will spread a small bit when in the oven.
9. Bake in the heated oven for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 190C/375F/gas mark 5 and bake for a further twenty minutes. Remove from the oven when lightly golden brown on top.
10. Whilst the eclairs are cooling thoroughly, whip the cream until it has formed soft peaks. Fold in the vanilla extract.
11. Fill your syringe with the whipped cream and, after making a hole in the end of the éclair, wedge the nozzle inside it and fill with the whipped cream until filled. Repeat this process with each eclair.
12. Alternatively, if you do not have a baking syringe, slice the eclairs in half lengthways and spread the cream inside and assemble the two halves together.
13. To decorate, melt the chocolate in a Pyrex bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, stirring frequently.
14. Then, transfer the chocolate to a fairly large, shallow bowl or dish and dip the eclairs in to coat the top in chocolate.
15. Chop the banana thinly and lay the slices over each éclair.
16. Sprinkle the chopped walnuts over the top, ensuring they stick to the chocolate to avoid them falling off.
17. Enjoy!