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
- Sieve flour and salt
- 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
- 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.
- Pipe in fingers on well greased tray or spoon into desired shape, or put into well greased sponge finger tins.
- Bake for approximately 20 minutes for large. 15 minutes for small eclairs..
- Cool away from a draught, split and dry out* in the oven.
- 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