Although some will tell you that choux pastry can be frozen, it really is at its best eaten on the day that it is baked.

Ingredients: (Makes 8)

• 55 g/2 oz unsalted butter
• 150 ml/5 fl oz cold water
• 65 g/2½ oz plain flour, sifted
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 175 g/6 oz icing sugar, sifted
• 1 tablespoon coffee and chicory essence
• 300 ml/10 fl oz whipping cream
• 55 g/2 oz plain chocolate

Method:

Preheat the oven to 220ºC/425ºF/Gas mark 7. Put the butter in a small saucepan, add the water and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat, transfer to a bowl and add the flour. Beat with a wooden spoon until it forms a ball of smooth paste. Let cool for 2 minutes. Slowly add the eggs to the paste, beating well after each addition, until the choux pastry is smooth and glossy.

Spoon the pastry into a piping bag fitted with a large plain nozzle. Pipe eight 10-cm/4-inch lengths, well spaced apart, onto a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 12 minutes until well risen and golden brown. Remove from the oven. Poke the base of each eclair with the tip of a knife to let the steam escape.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool. In a small bowl, combine the icing sugar, coffee and chicory essence and enough cold water to make a smooth paste. Beat until smooth. Cut each eclair in half and dip the tops in icing. Transfer to a wire rack for the icing to set. Whisk the cream with an electric whisk until soft peaks form. Spoon the cream into a piping bag and using a large star nozzle, pipe cream onto the base of each eclair. Cover each eclair base with an iced top.

Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Spoon the chocolate into a piping bag fitted with a small plain nozzle and piped zigzag lines across the tops of the eclairs. Transfer to a wire rack. Although choux pastry is best eaten on the day that it is made, these eclairs can be stored refrigerated for up to 2 days.