Chocolate Eclairs with Marscapone & Cream Chantilly Filling

Ingredients

Choux Pastry

• 100gm plain flour, sifted
• 1 pinch salt
• 150ml water
• 75gm unsalted butter
• 4 eggs, beaten

Marscapone & Cream Chantilly Filling

• 250gm marscapone cheese
• 200ml thickened cream
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate Icing

• 200gm icing sugar
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• Boiling water

Method

Choux Pastry

Preheat oven to 220 degrees. 
Combine butter and water in a small saucepan and place over high heat.

Remove the pan from the heat when the butter and water come to a rolling boil
Add the sifted flour and salt and beat with a wooden spoon until a smooth paste in formed.
Return the pan to medium heat and continue to beat the mixture until it begins to stick a little to the bottom of the pan.

Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 3 minutes.
Add the whisked eggs a little at a time, each time beating the mixture until the egg is fully incorporated.
Stop when the mixture is glossy and drops from the wooden spoon rather than all clinging to it.

Transfer the mixture to a piping bag with a 1/4 inch nozzle.
Pipe the eclairs out onto paper lined baking trays, about 15cm long.

Transfer to the oven for 10 minutes.
Reduce heat and cook for a further 15 minutes or until golden and crisp.

Remove from the oven and, using a skewer, make a small hole at one end of each eclair.
Return to the oven for 5 more minutes to remove any steam from inside the eclair case.
Leave to cool

Marscapone and chantilly cream
Combine the marscapone, cream, vanilla and sugar in a mixing bowl.

Beat until aerated and firmly whipped.
Transfer to a piping bag with a small nozzle.
Place the nozzle of the bag into the hole created in the side of each eclair, and fill the eclair with the mixture.

Repeat for all eclairs.

Chocolate Icing

Sift icing sugar and cocoa into a medium bowl.

Add boiling water by the teaspoon, stiring thoroughly each time, until a runny icing consistency is formed.
Dip each eclair into the icing mixture on one side and transfer to a serving plate.
Leave for 10 minutes for icing to firm then enjoy!