Chocolate Eclairs

Choux Pastry:

1 cup Water
8 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
Pinch of Salt
1 Cup Cake Flour (not self raising)
4 large Eggs

Method:

In a pot, mix water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil.
Once butter has completely melted, take off flame, and slowly pour in flour, stirring constantly.
Put pot back on flame and continue to work it with a wooden spoon. Continue stirring until the dough comes away from the sides of the pot.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Add eggs, one at a time, stirring energetically.
Place teaspoonfuls of the pastry onto baking sheet making sure they are well spaced well-spaced.
Bake for 10 minutes in a 220C oven. Then turn oven down to 180C and bake another 10-12 minutes with the oven door open.
Cool on a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before filling


Cream Filling:

500ml Fresh Cream (heavy cream for my US friends)
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract. 

Whip together until stiff


Chocolate Ganache Topping:

200g Chocolate broken into pieces
3/4 cup cream

Place chocolate pieces in a large bowl.
Heat the cream until it comes to a boil.
Remove from heat and immediately pour cream over chocolate and stir until completely mixed and glossy.
Allow ganache to cool before pouring over eclairs.

Assembly:

Once the choux pastry buns are completely cold, fill them with the cream and pour the chocolate ganache on top.

TIP: You can add bananas and top with caramel.  You can also fill with custard instead of the cream and top with the ganache.