For 10-12 large, or 16-18 small eclairs you need

  Choux pastry:

2 oz. self-raising flour
pinch salt
1/8 pint water
1 oz. butter or margarine
1-2 eggs

  For the filling:

just over 1/4 pint cream
1 -2 teaspoons castor sugar
few drops vanilla essence

  For the icing:

6 oz. sieved icing sugar
1/2 oz. sieved cocoa
few drops vanilla essence
few drops oil or melted
butter
little warm water
 

1. Sieve flour and salt
2. Bring water and fat to the boil, add the flour. Stir quickly with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a smooth ball of dough
3. Remove from heat, beat in 1 egg thoroughly until absorbed.Beat second egg, add sufficient to bring mixture to a velvety consistency. keeping its shape when pulled into points with a spoon.Beat thoroughly.
4. Pipe in fingers on well greased tray or spoon into desired shape, or put into well greased sponge finger tins.
5. Bake for approximately 20 minutes for large. 15 minutes for small eclairs..
6. Cool away from a draught, split and dry out* in the oven.
7. Cover with the chocolate icing.
     To make the icing
    : Beat all the ingredients together.
     To Serve 
     Fill with the whipped sweetened cream, flavoured with vanilla essence, and coat with icing.
     *To dry out choux pastry: When the choux pastry has been cooked it is sometimes slightly sticky          inside. Remove sticky part and return pastry to oven for a few minutes to dry out.
    Oven temperature: hot 425°F.-Gas Mark 6
    Oven position: centre

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