Chocolate Éclairs

You’ll be transported to a chic Parisian café with one bite of this classic pastry.

MAKES 12

PREPARATION TIME 45 minutes, plus cooling

COOKING TIME about 50 minutes

FOR THE CRÈME PÂTISSIÈRE 500ml full-fat milk 4 medium egg yolks 100g caster sugar 2tbsp cornflour 2tbsp plain flour

2tsp vanilla bean paste

FOR THE CHOUX PASTRY

75g butter, chopped

100g plain flour

2 medium eggs, beaten

FOR THE CHOCOLATE GLAZE 100ml double cream

100g dark chocolate, finely chopped ½tbsp golden syrup

25g butter, chopped

1 For the crème pâtissière, heat the milk in a medium pan until steaming. In a medium bowl, mix the yolks with the sugar, then stir in the cornflour and plain flour. Gradually add the hot milk, mixing constantly. Return to the pan, then cook over a medium heat, stirring, until thick and smooth (the mixture will need to boil). Transfer to a bowl, stir in the vanilla paste, then lay some baking parchment directly on the surface to prevent a skin forming. Cool.

2 Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. Line 2 flat baking sheets with baking parchment. To make the choux pastry, melt the butter in a large pan with 225ml water. Once it has melted, turn up the heat and bring to the boil. As soon as it boils, take the pan off the heat and add the flour in one go. Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes away from the sides of the pan.

3 Transfer to a large bowl and leave until just warm. With a handheld electric whisk, gradually beat in the eggs. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a 1½cm plain nozzle. Pipe a straight line roughly 12cm long, then pipe over the line to double it in height. Repeat 11 more times, spacing each line of choux apart. Use a damp finger to smooth down any points.

4 Bake for 25min, then remove from oven. Using a metal skewer or a small, sharp knife, carefully pierce a hole roughly 5mm wide at both ends of every choux bun to allow steam to escape. Return to oven for 10min more to dry out, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

5 To make the chocolate glaze, heat the double cream until steaming. Put the chocolate, golden syrup and butter into a heatproof bowl. Pour in the hot cream and stir occasionally until melted and combined (set bowl over a pan of simmering water if all the chocolate hasn’t melted).

6 To assemble, stir the crème pâtissière to loosen, transfer to a piping bag fitted with a 5mm nozzle and pipe into the choux buns from both ends. Dip the tops into the chocolate glaze and leave to set slightly on a wire rack before serving. The éclairs are best eaten within 2hr of assembling.