ECLAIRS AU CAFÉ

The Queen loves a cup of tea and thinks it tastes better from a silver teapot. Official teas, when she has guests, are served in the Green Tea Room at Buckingham Palace, attended by a footman and butlers offering sandwiches and cakes, like these eclairs.

Makes 6-8

25g (1oz) butter

A pinch of sugar

150ml (¼pt) water 85g (3oz) plain flour

2 whole eggs plus the yolk of 1 egg (or 3 small eggs), beaten

Whipped cream, for the filling

For the icing

1 dessertspoon of strong, warm coffee

175g (6oz) icing sugar

Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. First, make the choux pastry. Gently heat the butter, sugar and water in a pan until the butter has completely melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the flour. Return the pan to a low heat and cook gently, stirring, until the mixture is thoroughly cooked and dry enough to form a ball and leave the pan clean.

Remove the mixture from the heat and gradually add the eggs, stirring to ensure a smooth mixture. Stand until cooled then use a piping bag to pipe the mixture into finger shapes on greased and floured baking trays. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the icing by slowly adding the warm coffee to the icing sugar. Sieve if lumpy, and beat until smooth. When the eclairs are cooked, split, pipe cream in the middle and spoon the icing over.