Eclairs

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1 recipe chocolate pastry cream
• ⅓ cup + 1 tbsp butter
• ⅔ cup flour
• 4 eggs
• 5 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped

Directions

Place the water and butter in a saucepan over medium heat until the butter has melted and the mixture just begins to boil. Add the flour and beat with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together in a ball and is smooth. Continue to cook over a low heat until it starts to come away from the sides. Remover from the heat and beat in the eggs one at a time. The mixture will become a little sticky and of dropping consistency. (A spoonful held up will take about 5 seconds to drop). Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a plain ½ inch nozzle. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Oil a baking sheet and line with parchment paper. Pipe the mixture onto the baking sheet in logs about 3 inches long, spacing them well, so they have room to rise. Sprinkle with water and bake for 20 minutes. Turn the oven down to 300 F and bake until golden and hollow sounding when tapped on the bottom, 15-20 minutes. Cool on wire racks. When cooled, carefully slice lengthways along the side of each eclair. Slice only three quarters of the way through, leaving the top still joined. Lift the top of each eclair and pipe in the pastry cream. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over barely simmering water. Let cool a little. Holding the eclairs by their sides, dip the top third of each one in the chocolate. shake off any excess and let set before serving.