Chocolate Eclairs / Cream Puffs / Profiteroles

Choux pastry is one of the most intriguing pastries because the initial thick paste like pastry made of flour , eggs and water becomes a crisp, hollow, delicate case when baked. I have adapted the classic recipe to suit the ingredients available in India. The trick is to bake the pastry just enough. If it is under baked, it will collapse and if slightly over baked, will become hard and dry. The chocolate fudge topping can also be made with melted chocolate instead of the Chocolate fudge topping I have given in my recipe.

Chocolate Eclairs / Cream Puffs / Profiteroles

Print Recipe

Chocolate Eclairs / Cream Puffs / Profiteroles Print Recipe

Ingredients

Choux Pastry

• 1 cup flour
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 140 g fat (either butter, margarine or a mixture of butter and margarine is suitable)
• 1 tsp vanilla essence

Cream Filling

• 500 g whipping cream
• 1/2 cup castor sugar

Chocolate Fudge Topping

• 50 g butter
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa

Servings:

Instructions

1. Sift flour with baking powder
2. Heat water and fat together until just boiling
3. Add flour all at once and stir under low heat until the mixture forms a smooth ball
4. Remove from heat and cool for 15 minutes
5. Add the eggs and essence. Beat vigorously till smooth
6. Pipe about 40 eclairs/profiteroles onto a lightly greased damp baking tray
7. Rest dough for 30 minutes if possible. Sprinkle with water. The steam will help it to rise.
8. Bake for approximately 40 minutes in a hot oven or until puffed and golden
9. Whip cream with castor sugar till thick. Fill into a pastry bag or icing gun
10. Cool the baked choux pastry and fill with whipped cream using a sharp nozzle
11. Melt butter and blend with cocoa, icing sugar and a little water until a thick fudge is formed
12. Top the cream filled choux pastry with blobs of chocolate fudge
13. Set in fridge for at least 2 hours before serving