CHOCOLATE ECLAIRS

Ingredients:

75g butter

1 cup water

1 cup plain flour

4 eggs, lightly beaten

60g unsalted butter, melted

125g dark choclolate, melted

(I use Haigh's)

Filling:

1 x 300 ml carton thickened cream

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

2 tablespoons icing-sugar mixture

STEP 1. Combine butter and water in a medium pan: bring to boil. Add sifted flour all at once; stir vigorously over head until mixture leaves the side of the pan and forms a smooth ball. Transfer mixture to small bowl of an electric mixer. Gradually beat in eggs until mixture becomes thick and glossy.

STEP 2. Spoon mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm plain tube. Pipe 11cm lenghts of pastry, about 3cm apart, onto lightly greased oven trays. Cook in a hot oven, 200 Celsius, for 10 minutes, or until pastry is lightly browned and crisp. Split eclairs in half lengthwyas, remove any soft centre. Return to moderate oven, 180 degrees Celsius, for 2 minutes, or until dried out: cool on wire racks.

STEP 3. Stir warm butter into warm chocolate; cool. Spread thickly over the top halves of eclairs; allow to set.

FILLING. Beat all ingredients in small bowl with electric mixer until soft peaks form. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

STEP 4. Just before serving, spoon or pipe Filling into base of eclairs. Cover with chocolate tops: SERVE.