Chocolate Éclair - 8 - 12 eclairs
Ingredients
- 50g butter
- 125ml water
- pinch salt and sugar
- 65g gluten free plain flour
- About 2 eggs, beaten
Need some advice on ingredients see -
The wheat, gluten and lactose free store cupboard
Method
for the Choux Pastry
Preheat your oven to 210°c /gas mark 7.
Place the butter and water into a saucepan and heat on the stove.
Stir to melt the butter. By the time the water comes to the boil the butter should have melted.
Turn off the heat and stir in the gluten free flour. Place back on the heat and beat with a wooden spoon for 20 seconds.
Leave to cool until you can place your hand on the mix comfortably.
Beat in the egg a little at a time. You may not need all of the egg. Add until the mix just falls off the spoon when lifted.
for the eclairs
Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and brush with oil.
Fit a piping bag with a large plain nozzle and fill with choux pastry. Pipe lines on the tray spaced apart. Try to pipe them all the same size.
Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Check at this time, the tray may need turning round or placed on a lower shelf to finish cooking.
If the choux bun looks cooked but the bottom is still white continue cooking until it is golden brown all over.
Leave to cool.
The eclairs can be frozen at this stage until needed.
When defrosting, take out of freezer bag and leave at room temperature. They will defrost in a few
Melt the chocolate and dip the top of each éclair into the chocolate.
Leave to dry on a cooling wire. The éclairs can be frozen at this stage.
Whip the cream and using a piping bag fitted with a star shaped nozzle. Cut each éclair in half and pipe the cream into the éclairs.
how to make this recipe dairy free...
Top the eclairs with dairy free chocolate. You can buy dairy free white and milk chocolate in wholefood shops.
Fill with whipped soya cream or dairy free pastry cream.
Gem's hints and tips
To make your eclairs all the same size. Fold a crease near the edge of the greaseproof paper and open up again. Make another fold in the paper 10 cm away from the first line or however long you want the eclairs. Pipe the choux paste between the two lines.
If you are cooking the eclairs in a gas oven you may have to leave the oven door slightly ajar near the end of the cooking to cook properly.
If like my husband you prefer chocolate fondant on top. Stir 2 tbsp cocoa powder into 100g fondant icing sugar. Stir in water a drop at a time until it is coating consistency. Dip the top of each eclair in the fondant and leave to set before filling with cream.
