- 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.
Chai and Violet Eclairs
Recipe by Iron Chef Shellie
Ingredients
- Choux Pastry:
- 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)
