Eclairs

Method

1. Bring the water to the boil with the butter and salt. Take it off the heat, add the flour all at once and beat hard until the dough gathers into a ball that leaves the sides of the pan.
2. Put it back on a low heat and stir for another minute to drive off the extra moisture — that is what lets eclairs rise.
3. Let the dough cool for ten minutes, then add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. The finished dough drops from the spoon in a heavy tongue; it does not run.
4. Pipe strips about 10 cm long onto a lined tray, leaving room between them.
5. Bake at 200 °C for 15 minutes, then lower to 170 °C and bake for another 15–20. Do not open the oven before the last five minutes — eclairs sink and never come back up.
6. For the custard: whisk the yolks with the sugar and cornflour, pour in hot milk while whisking, return to the heat and cook until thick. Cool it with film pressed to the surface so no skin forms.
7. Split the cooled eclairs, fill them with the custard, pour over the melted chocolate mixed with the warmed cream and leave to set.