Chocolate Eclairs

for the Choux Pastry
Preheat your oven to 220°c /200°c fan oven / 425°f / gas mark 7.

Place the dairy-free margarine into a saucepan with the water and a pinch of salt and sugar.

Bring the water to the boil. The dairy-free margarine should have melted by the time the water boils.

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. The buns will not rise properly if too much egg is added.

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 the 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 minutes.

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.

Cut each eclair in half lengthways with a sharp carving knife.

Whisk the dairy-free cream (see tip). Fill a piping bag fitted with a star shaped nozzle and pipe the cream into each eclair.

Best eaten on the same day.