Chocolate eclairs can now be all chocolate. Try filling these eclairs with the "Ultimate Chocolate Mousse" recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 2 tblsp cocoa
• pinch salt
• 1 cup water
• 100 grams and 1 tblsp butter
• 4 eggs, beaten

To Decorate

• 150 grams white chocolate
• about 50 grams dark chocolate, melted

Method

1. Sift the flour, cocoa and salt on to a plate and have close to the stove.
2. Cut the butter into small pieces and place in a saucepan with the water. Bring to the boil, ensuring that the butter has all melted before the water boils.
3. Tip in all the sifted flour at once and draw off the heat. Beat quickly with a wooden spoon . The mixture should come away from the sides of the saucepan and form a ball. You will notice that the mixture is a little softer than the basic choux, but this is due to the cocoa.
4. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes.
5. Add the half the beaten eggs and beat well with a wooden spoon until the mixture is well incorporated. Add the remaining egg mixture and continue to beat until the mixture is thick and glossy.
6. Alternatively you can put the dough paste into a food processor and add the eggs in the food processor. Either way will give an excellent result.
7. Fill a piping bag, fitted with a 1.5cm plain nozzle, with the mixture. Pipe into 8cm lengths on a well-greased baking tray.
8. Bake at 220°C (or fan bake 200°C) for 20 minutes. Lower the temperature to 140°C (120°C fan bake) for a further 20 minutes until the puffs are dry.
9. Take the puffs from the oven and pierce underneath with the end of a spoon to allow the steam to escape, and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes.
10. Cool on a cake rack then store in an airtight container. Fill with whipped cream flavoured with lots of grated orange rind.

To Decorate

1. Melt the white chocolate in a bowl over warm water, or melt in the microwave on high power for about 1 minute. Spread over the top of the cream-filled eclairs. Drizzle with the melted dark chocolate.
2. I have served them over a mound of fresh summer berries.

Note

1. I have lemon verbena growing in my garden. I often crush a handful of leaves and leave it in about 300 mls cream for an hour to flavour the cream. Strain or scoop the leaves out. Lemon verbena is a great partner with orange rind.