Eclair recipe: How to make chocolate eclairs

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Chocolate eclairs look like the sort of dessert that is difficult to make, but with this recipe you can’t go wrong. You’ll need to set aside 40 minutes to prep and 45 to cook, and then wait for the delicious dessert to cool down before you tuck in. Express.co.uk talks you through BBC Good Food’s double chocolate eclair recipe.

How to make chocolate eclairs

For the filling

• 350ml milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 medium egg yolks
• 50g caster sugar
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 75g dark chocolate (70 percent) chopped

For the choux pastry

• 4 tbsp milk
• 50g unsalted butter, diced
• 100g plain flour sifted
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 3 medium eggs, beaten

For the chocolate glaze

• 100ml double cream
• 1 tbsp soft light brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 100g dark chocolate (70 percent), chopped
• 25g unsalted butter

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Method

Step one

To make the filling, heat the milk and vanilla to boiling point.

Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and caster sugar until pale, then stir in the cornflour.

Pour the hot milk over the egg yolk mixture and whisk until smooth.

Return to the pan and heat gently, stirring constantly, until thick.

Step two

Put the thick custard into a clean bowl, add the chocolate and stir until melted.

Cover the surface with cling film and leave to cool completely.

Step three

Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7.

To make the pastry, heat the milk, butter and four tablespoons of water over a gentle heat until the butter melts.

Increase the heat and bring to the boil, then remove from the heat and quickly beat in the flour, sugar and a pinch of salt.

Keep stirring until the mixture is smooth, glossy and comes away from the sides of the pan.

Allow to cool for a few mins, then gradually add the eggs, mixing well between each addition until the mixture reluctantly drops off the spoon, don’t add all the egg unless you need to.

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Step four

Line a baking sheet with parchment, then spoon the pastry mix into a piping bag fitted with a one-centimetre wide star or round nozzle.

Or, spoon it into a disposable piping bag with a similar-size hole snipped off for piping.

Pipe 12 to 14 even buns, about 10 centimetres long and two centimetres wide, leaving space for expanding between each one.

Bake for 15 mins or until golden brown and doubled in size. Cool.

Step five

For the glaze, heat the double cream, sugar and vanilla to boiling point.

Put the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and pour over the cream mixture.

Stand for two to three mins, then add the butter and stir until smooth and glossy.

Step six

To assemble the eclairs, cut them in half lengthways and pipe in the filling.

Spread the chocolate glaze over the top of each eclair and leave to set before serving.

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