Description
Black forest and chocolate eclairs.
Ingredients
- FOR THE CHOUX PASTRY:
- 125 milliliters Water
- 1 Tablespoon Caster Sugar
- 125 milliliters Milk
- 100 grams Unsalted Butter
- 125 grams Plain Flour
- 4 whole Eggs
- 1 whole Egg Yolk To Glaze Pastry With
- FOR THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE:
- 150 milliliters Double Cream
- 100 grams Chopped Dark Chocolate
- FOR THE FILLING:
- 160 grams Soft Set Cherry Preserves
- 300 milliliters Double Cream, Whipped
- 6 whole Cherries To Decorate
- Crushed Hazelnuts, If Desired To Decorate
Preparation
1. First of all make the choux pastry. In a saucepan on medium heat combine the water, sugar, milk and butter and heat until boiling. Then add the flour and stir until the pastry combines. Keep beating whilst over the heat for a further 2 minutes.
2. Take the pastry mixture off the heat and put into a bowl. Set aside to cool for five minutes, then beat in the whole eggs one by one until combined.
3. Preheat the oven to 190 C and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Put the choux pastry into a piping bag and squeeze the mixture into the end. I find the large disposable piping bags the best and easiest to work with. Steadily pipe the pastry into roughly 6 inch long lines. Brush each eclair with egg yolk. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes until they have puffed up and turned golden. Remove from oven.
4. Leave the eclairs to cool for about 10 minutes, While they are cooling, make the ganache. In a saucepan heat the cream over medium heat. When it just barely starts boiling remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate until melted. Set aside.
5. Cut the eclairs in half horizontally. Spread the base with plenty of cherry preserves, then pipe in a generous amount of whipped cream. Add the top of the pastry. Spread chocolate ganache onto the top, sprinkle with some chopped hazelnuts and top with a cherry. Leave the ganache to set. This will only take a few minutes in the fridge. Voila!
