Recipe: Chocolate Caramel Eclairs

Chocolate Caramel Eclairs

Traditional eclairs with a caramel flavour.

FOR THE CHOUX PASTRY:
250 ml water, (8 floz)
75 gm unsalted butter, (3oz)
1 pinch salt
150 gm strong plain flour, sifted (5 oz)
4 medium sized eggs

FOR THE PASTRY CREAM:
100 gm caster sugar, (3 1/2oz)
500 ml milk, (18 floz)
4 med size egg yolks
50 gm cornflour, (2oz)
1 x 284 millilit whipping cream, (10 floz)
100 gm deluxe Belgium dark chocolate, (3 1/2floz)
1/2 tsp sunflower oil
25 gm deluxe Belgium white chocolate, (1oz)

Preheat the oven to 200 C, 400 F, Gas Mark 6.

Place the water and butter into a saucepan and bring to the boil.

Remove the pan from the heat and add in the flour, return to the heat and beat with a spoon until the mixture is clear and comes away from the side of the pan.

Spoon the mixture into a mixer bowl and beat on a low speed to cool the mixture slightly for approximately 4 minutes.

Gradually add the eggs one at a time, beat well between each addition.

On a greased proof paper lined oven tray pipe the choux paste (using a piping nozzle 1cm ( 1/2 inch) in diameter) into 5cm (2 1/2 inches)
lengths.

Place the tray in the oven and bake the eclairs for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

Cool on a wire rack.

For the pastry cream; place the sugar into a saucepan over a moderate heat, stir gently from time to time. When the sugar becomes a dark brown colour pour on the milk and bring to the boil.

Separate the eggs, place the yolks and the cornflour in a bowl and mix. Pour some of the boiled milk onto the eggs and then return it to the pan.

Cook until it thickens, stirring continuously, this takes 3-4 minutes.

When it has thickened pour it through a sieve, cover the surface with clingfilm and allow to cool. Refrigerate until cold.

Whip the cream and add it to the chilled pastry cream.

Melt the two chocolates separately. Mix 1 teaspoon of oil with the dark chocolate.

To assemble the eclairs - Using a small sharp knife make 2 small round holes on the underside of the eclair 1. 5cm (3/4 inch) from each end.

Put the caramel pastry cream into a piping bag with a 1/2cm ( 1/4 inch) plain nozzle and fill the eclairs replace them on to the wire rack.

Dip each filled eclair into the dark chocolate and return them to the wire rack.

Drizzle the melted white chocolate across the eclairs.