Chocolate Eclairs

I started my new job last week. I was in San Diego "training" for the majority of the week. I'm in San Diego this week Monday and Tuesday. The commute is a good 2 to 2 1/2 hours!!! yikes! BUT... once things settle down I will work from their sattelite Irvine office which is 15 minutes from my house. I really like my new company. They are all hard workers and I will learn alot. I'm glad to be working at an Interactive marketing aagency that provides full online solutions - including: website development, email marketing, banners, pay-per-click advertising...

I've been itching to bake something for a while, but just haven't had the time... so Sunday morning before church I tried a new recipe. and here you have it - Chocolate Eclairs! One of my most favorite pastries!


RECIPE

Pastry:
1 cup water
1 stick margarine or butter
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
4 eggs

Filling:
3 cups milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla

Icing:
2 (1-ounce) squares chocolate
2 cups sugar
1 cup whipping cream

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Heat water and margarine or butter to boiling point. Add flour and stir constantly until mixture is smooth and forms a ball when tested in cold water. Remove from heat and let cool. Beat in 4 eggs, one at a time. Drop dough from teaspoon to form small eclairs onto greased cookie sheet. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until light brown. Set aside to cool. Prepare filling by combining milk, sugar, salt and flour; cook slowly until thickens. Add 3 beaten eggs and continue to cook until mixture is even thicker. Remove from heat, cool and add vanilla.
With a serrated knife, slice pastry puffs lengthwise, but not all the way through. Pipe custard mixture into the center. Melt chocolate for icing, add sugar and cream. Cook over medium heat until soft ball stage. Let cool and beat until smooth. Ice tops of the eclairs.