(makes 20-23 small Éclairs)

Éclairs can be frozen un-iced and un -filled for up to 3 months. Made small so they are delicate to eat although cream will still squelch out. A cream cake of any sort is not worth its salt without creating evidence of begin eaten.

INGREDIENTS
40g (4 tbsp) unsalted butter
85ml (1/3 cup) water
50g (1/3cup plus 1 tsp) flour (sifted)
1-2 eggs (lightly beaten)
80g (1/2cup) dark chocolate (melted)
edible flowers for garnish (optional)
Strawberry Cream
40g (1/4 cup) white chocolate (melted)


METHOD
Preheat oven to 220°C.

Line two baking trays with baking paper. Grease baking paper with baking spray or extra butter.

Place butter and water into a medium-size saucepan and bring to boil. {Use a high-sided pan as it is important that the water does not evaporate.}

Draw pan off heat and add flour all at once. Stir vigorously until paste is smooth. Allow to cool for 10 minutes or until lukewarm.

Preferably place mixture into an electric mixer with paddle beater and slowly pour in beaten eggs until paste is droppable but not runny. {You may not need all the beaten egg). Beat paste for about 5 minutes or until smooth and shiny.

Pipe 4cm lengths (5cm when cooked) onto prepared trays and place in preheated oven to bake for 10 minutes. Do not open oven. Reduce temperature to 200°C and bake for another 10 minutes. Remove éclairs from oven and prick them with a metal skewer.

Reduce oven to 180°C and return éclairs to oven. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until they are golden brown, crisp and dry. {If colour gets too dark before éclairs are dry, reduce oven temperature to 160°C.}

Remove éclairs from trays onto cake rack to cool.

When cool dip tops of éclairs into melted chocolate and place on a tray at room temperature until chocolate is set. {If adding edible flowers as garnish place on chocolate when it is almost set.} {In hot weather you may have to place éclairs in refrigerator for 2-3 minutes to set chocolate.} {Éclairs are dipped in chocolate before being cut or filled so that crumbs do not make their way to the chocolate. }

Cut éclair in half horizontally . Remove top and set chocolate side up on a clean tray.

Place Strawberry Cream into a piping bag fitted with a fluted nozzle and pipe a generous amount of Strawberry Cream into each base.

Sit tops lightly on Strawberry Cream so piped cream is visible and clearly separates the base and top. If wish place white chocolate into a small piping bag and zig zag white chocolate onto dark chocolate.

Strawberry Cream

(makes 500ml/enough to fill 30 little éclairs)

Addition of gelatine stabilises the cream. It won’t set like a jelly but will keep its shape in the éclair. Switch out jam flavours if you wish. Try orange marmalade for a change.

INGREDIENTS
15ml (1 tbsp) water
4g (1 tsp) gelatine
250ml (1 cup) cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
100g (1/3 cup) strawberry jam


METHOD
Place water into a small bowl and sprinkle gelatine over water. Leave to sponge for 10 minutes.

Pour 45ml (3 tbsp) of the measured cream into a microwave-proof bowl. Place in microwave and heat to almost hot. Add gelatine sponge and stir until it has dissolved. Cool to room temperature.

Pour remaining cream into a bowl and whip to just before soft peak stage. Add gelatine and vanilla and fold together.

Add strawberry jam and stir to combine, being careful not to over-mix.