• Preheat the oven to 170*C.
• Put water, butter and salt to medium heat and bring to boil.
• As soon as it starts boiling take it off the heat and add flour and mix vigorously until combined.
• Cook for 1 more minute on medium heat, stirring continuously vigorously to cook all the flour. This consistency of the dough should be same as a soft play dough.
• Allow to cool for approximately 5 minutes. It should be warm to touch but not hot.
• Whisk the eggs and start adding little and keep whisking. You might not need all of the eggs.
• The choux pastry batter is ready when it is glossy. Do a spoon test to check the consistency, grab a bit of batter on the spatula and let it drop. If it creates a V shape then its done. Also check if it hold shape running a finger across the batter. At this stage you can refrigerate the batter for 2 days.
• Transfer to a piping bag. Squeeze out into desired length.
• Bake in the preheated oven at 170*C for 20-25 minutes until golden.
• If the eclairs have turned out well then they will be hollow inside.

Vanilla Pastry Cream (Creme Patissiere/Creme Pat)

• Mix milk and vanilla essence and heat until it just reaches its boiling point.
• Do not let it boil. Take it off the heat and add a ladle full of milk into the egg mixture and stir vigorously to avoid the scrambling of the egg. Continue until all the milk has been added.
• Transfer the mixture back into the pot and cook on low flame, stirring continuous until the crème pat is nice and thick.
• Transfer to a bowl and cover with a cling film to avoid skin forming on the crème pat.
• Allow to cool to room temperature.

Chocolate Glaze

• Bring sugar and water to boil and boil for 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened.
• Take off the flame and add butter and chocolate.
• Mix thoroughly until smooth. It might look a bit grainy when you first start mixing (because of the butter) but with continuous mixing for 3-4 minutes the glaze becomes smooth.
• Assembly
• Fill a piping bag with crème pat. Make a hole in the bottom of the éclair using the piping tip.
• Start squeezing room temperature crème pat into the eclairs and stop when they feel filled and heavy.
• Dip in slightly warm chocolate glaze. Allow to set.
• Enjoy!

Choux Pastry