Coffee cream éclairs recipe

Cream éclairs always go down well with kids and adults alike. With the added coffee, these are a treat for dinner parties.

Ingredients

• 50g (2oz) butter
• 65g (2½ oz) plain flour
• 2 medium eggs, beaten
• 300ml (½ pt) double cream
• 5ml (1tsp) vanilla essence
• 100g (4oz) icing sugar
• 15-30ml (1-2tbsp) strong black coffee

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F, gas mark 7). Place the butter and 150ml (¼ pt) water into pan and heat gently until the butter melts. Bring the mixture to the boil, then quickly tip in the flour and a large pinch of salt and beat with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a smooth ball. Cool for 2-3 mins.
2. Gradually add the eggs, beating well after each addition, until the mixture is firm and glossy. You may not need to add all the beaten egg.
3. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a large plain nozzle and pipe 9cm (3in) lengths (10 in total) on to a dampened baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 mins until golden and crisp. Pierce each éclair with the tip of a knife to allow the steam to escape and bake for a further 2-3 mins. Transfer to a cooling rack.
4. Halve each cold éclair. Whisk the cream and vanilla essence until firm and use to fill the bottom halves. Beat the icing sugar and enough coffee to make a smooth icing and dip the top half of each éclair in the icing. Carefully sandwich each éclair back together.