Serves 4-6
INGREDIENTS
For the choux pastry:
60g of salted butter
130ml of water
80g of plain flour, sifted
3 large free range eggs
For the creme patisserie:
6 large free range egg yolks
120g of sugar
50g of cornflour
450ml of milk
1 vanilla pod
50g of butter
For the chocolate glaze:
100g of good quality dark chocolate
50ml of cream
50g of butter
75g of roasted hazelnuts, roughly
chopped
Why not try adding a shot of espresso to the chocolate
glaze.
Method
Preheat the oven to 220˚C/425˚F/Gas Mark 7 and line
two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Place the butter and water in a saucepan and bring
to a steady boil until the butter is melted. Remove from the heat and add the
flour, beating with a wooden spoon until a dough comes together. Place back
over the heat and beat the dough in the saucepan for about 40 seconds
.
Remove from the heat and set aside. Beat the eggs
in a small bowl.
Add the eggs little at a time, beat thoroughly with
a wooden spoon until the egg is completely incorporated after each addition.
Add a little of the beaten egg at a time until you have a consistency that will
hold it’s shape when piped. It should be smooth, shiny and just about fall from
the spoon. You may not need all of the egg.
Using a spatula, scoop the dough into a large
piping bag fitted with a large round piping nozzle and pipe 10cm lines on the
lined baking sheets, leaving about 4cm in between each line to allow for
spreading. Brush each one with the little leftover beaten egg.
Place in the oven, reducing the heat to
190˚C/375˚F/Gas mark 5, for approximately 25 minutes until they have risen and
are golden and crisp.
Transfer to a wire wrack and use a sharp pointed
knife to pierce three holes on the underside of the buns. Allow to cool
completely before filling.
For the crème pâtissière, split the vanilla pod in
half and scrape out the seeds. Add this to a medium saucepan with the milk and
place over a medium high heat. Bring to the boil and then turn off the heat.
Scoop out the vanilla pod.
While the milk is coming to the boil, place the
sugar, cornflour and egg yolks in a large mixing bowl and beat with a whisk
until thick and pale.
Pour the hot milk into the bowl, whisking quickly
and continuously until it is smooth and incorporated. Pour the mixture back
into the saucepan and place over a medium heat beating continuously until it
has thickened. Transfer the crème pâtissière to a cold bowl, create a flat
surface with the back of a spatula and wipe the top with little butter (this
will prevent a skin forming). Cover directly with cling film and allow to cool
completely.
For the chocolate glaze, melt the dark chocolate in
a bowl set over a saucepan of hot water. When the chocolate has melted remove
the bowl from the heat and gently stir through the cream. Fold in the butter
until you have a shiny, spreadable chocolate glaze.
To assemble the eclairs, fill a piping bag, fitted
with a small round nozzle, with the crème pâtissière and pipe into the holes on
the underside of the choux buns. Spread the chocolate glaze over the top of
each eclair and sprinkle with the roasted hazelnuts
Serve straight away or the eclairs will keep for 1
or 2 days in the fridge.
Enjoy!
