Sweet - Eclairs and Cream Puffs

The picture says it all:

Ingredients:

Choux Paste Dough:
500 ml water
250 g butter
10 g salt
370 g bread flour (sifted)
12 eggs

Whipped Cream:
1 L whipping cream (35%)
80 g sifted icing sugar
5 g vanilla extract

To Make:

Choux Paste - about 15 mins:
-Bring water, butter, and salt to a boil in saucepan on high heat. Watch carefully! You'll know it's done when white foam forms on the top, and most/all butter is melted. Be careful, as soon as foam forms it will quickly expand! This step will take about 2 mins.

-As soon as white foam forms, add the flour and mix vigorously with wooden spoon. It is ready once the mix pulls away from the side of the pot (ie more doughy consistency) and forms a thin white film on the bottom - about 1 min.

-Take off heat and place it in mixing bowl, then mix until cool (if using a stand mixer, place on medium speed for about 3-4 minutes, until you cannot see any steam coming out and the bowl feels comfortable to the touch). This is important so the eggs don't cook when added to the mix; however, you don't want to let it cool completely because the dough will become too firm. If you have a thermometer handy, you can check for the dough to be at 65C, though this isn't strictly required.

-Once you're satisfied it's cooled down enough (no steam is visible), add eggs 2-3 at a time and mix thoroughly until fully incorporated (to prevent lumps). Do this until you've added all 12 eggs. Make sure to scrape down sides if necessary. The final dough should be stiff enough to hold its form but soft enough to pipe; if too stiff can add a bit of milk to soften, but be careful because if too soft cannot stiffen by adding more flour.

-Once done, fit a piping bag with a #6 star tip, and fill with some of the dough. Pipe onto tray covered with parchment paper - rosettes for the cream puffs (large, about 2 inch diameter) and straight ladyfingers for eclairs (about 3 inches long). These forms will expand while baking, so allow 2 inches (about 3 fingers) between each pastry while piping.

With this recipe you should be able to fill about 2-3 trays; about 24 of each type of pastry.

Whipped Cream - about 4 mins:
-Add cream, vanilla and sugar to mixing bowl and mix on med-high speed for about 3-4 mins, until the cream forms soft peaks, but is not too runny or too chunky.

To Bake:

Preheat oven to 400F.

Pipe pastries as stated above. Try and keep the size consistent so they all bake evenly.

Bake 30-35 minutes, until golden (but not too dry), then take out of oven and let cool.

To finish eclairs and cream puffs, cut off the top 3rd of each pastry; inside should be fairly hollow. You can add your choice of extra filling - jam or fresh strawberries, for example - and pipe whipped cream to fill the inside.

For the eclairs, you can top with chocolate fondant (if available) or chocolate ganache. For the fondant, you mix 450g white pourable fondant with 40g chocolate fudge base (paste), and then heat very slightly with 25ml water until it is fluid (careful not to overheat, or it won't be glossy when done).
To pour either chocolate ganache or fondant over the eclair, take the top 1/3rd and hold it over the chocolate bowl, then use the long edge of a spatula to slowly pour a layer of chocolate over the eclair top in a long smooth streak.

For cream puffs can simply sprinkle icing sugar over top, and voila, instant awesomeness in your kitchen!