Dark Chocolate and Raspberry Eclairs
A french classic reinvented for summer, these dark chocolate and raspberry eclairs are sure to please with the sharp and fruity raspberries cutting through the rich dark chocolate. Despite choux pastry sometimes being tricky to get right I have found a near fool-proof method for sucess that should guarantee success every time!
INGREDIENTS
For the Choux Pastry
- 500ml Water
- 215g Unsalted butter
- 1tsp Caster sugar
- 45g Plain flour
- 220g Strong white bread flour
- 4 eggs (beaten)
For cream filling
- 280ml double cream
- 1 tbsp Icing sugar
-1.5tsp Vanilla bean paste
- A handful of fresh raspberries (crushed)
For the chocolate topping
- 100g 70% Dark chocolate
- 25g Butter
METHOD
- Preheat your oven to 200 degrees (fan) and grease a baking tray and in the oven place a pan of water (to generate steam that allows eclairs to rise).
- In a saucepan heat water, butter and sugar until the butter has melted fully.
- Add your flour in and mix quickly until fully combined.
- Allow to cool for a few minutes (until no longer steaming) before gradually adding in your eggs.
- Keep adding egg slowly until the mixture becomes shiny and smooth (you may not need all your egg mixture - adding too much will cause the eclairs to collapse in the oven).
- Finally pipe the mixture in lines on top of your baking sheet before egg washing and baking for 30 minutes or until golden brown before turning the oven off and leaving eclairs in the oven to cool (for approx. 20mins).
- Remove eclairs from the oven and create a small hole in each eclair using a knife to allow steam to escape.
- Once fully cooled use a knife to slice the eclairs in half and begin to prepare the cream filling.
- Whisk sugar, vanilla and cream in a bowl until forming soft peaks.
- Using a metal spoon partially mix in crushed raspberries to give a ripple effect.
- Pipe cream into the centre of the eclairs.
- Over a pan of simmering water place a bowl containing your chocolate and butter.
- Allow to melt fully before dipping the top side of your eclairs into the chocolate mixture.
- Decorate by sprinkling freeze dried raspberries over the chocolate topping and serve.
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