60g organic salt reduced butter, chopped (From Eggs Plus)
160ml cold water
50g cup plain flour
3 eggs, lightly beaten
Chai Cream :
300ml thickened cream
1 tsp chai powder
To Decorate :
100g white chocolate, roughly chopped
2-3 drops purple gel food dye
12 crystalised violets (From The Essential Ingredient)
Method
Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan-forced). Line 2 large baking trays with greaseproof baking paper.
To make the choux pastry, combine butter and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 3- 4 minutes or until butter has melted and mixture just starts to boil.
Add flour and reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes or until mixture comes away from side of pan and forms a ball. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool.
In a small bowl, reserve 2 teaspoons of whisked egg. Using a wooden spoon, slowly beat in remaining egg until well combined and mixture forms a glossy dough.
Spoon dough into a piping bag fitted with a 2cm plain nozzle. Pipe 10cm long logs, 5cm apart, onto prepared trays, allowing to spread. Brush with reserved egg.
Bake 1 tray of eclairs for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden and puffed. Using a small knife, carefully cut eclairs in half horizontally. Return to oven, cut-side up.
Bake for 5 minutes to dry out centres. Cool on tray. Increase temperature to 220°C/200°C fan-forced. Repeat with remaining tray.
When cool enough, cut in half horizontally and place the bases on one side of a chopping board, and the tops on the other half.
To make the chai cream, use an electric mixer to beat cream, and chai powder until firm peaks. Spoon cream into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm fluted nozzle. Pipe cream evenly over eclair bases.
Place the chocolate in a heat proof bowl and microwave for 30 seconds at a time until it is half melted. Stir to melt the remaining chocolate. Add a drop of purple food colouring and gently stir to create a swirl. Take the tops of the eclairs one at a time and dunk in the chocolate mixture. Place chocolate side up on the chopping board to dry and place 1 crystallized violet on top of the chocolate (usually takes about 8 minutes for the chocolate to set). Add another drop of food dye as required and continue till all tops are coated in chocolate and crystallized violets.
Once the tops are dry, place on top of the cream filled bottom halves and serve or keep in the fridge for a few hours.
