Chocolate Eclairs with Cappuccino Cream and Caramel

For the caramel sauce put the sugar in a deep frying pan with no fat on medium heat and stir.

First the sugar will form lumps, then it will slowly change color and become liquid. It should get the color of amber.

Then add the butter all at once and stir until the butter is melted.

Add the heavy cream all at once, be careful, as the caramel will get bubbly due to temperature differences. Stir for another minute.

Add salt and fill in a sterilized jar with a lid. Set aside.

For the cappuccino cream first boil 50 grams of sugar and water in a pot.

Meanwhile beat the egg whites with 20 grams of sugar in a very large bowl on medium speed simultaneously.

After about five minutes of boiling the water and sugar, change mixer to high speed and add the water/sugar mix to the egg whites. Now beat until the meringue has cooled off (this takes a few minutes).

Add the butter by the spoonful while still beating on high speed.

First the batter will look runny, but don’t be disturbed, just continue beating and slowly add the butter. Once you have added all the butter, beat until you get the consistency of a pipeable cream. Now add the instant cappuccino powder and mix until incorporated.

The cream can be prepared the day before and should be kept chilled in an airtight container. Let come to room temperature before beating again and piping.

For the eclairs heat water, salt and butter in a pot.

Change temperature to medium and add all the flour at once while still stirring.

Stir until a ball forms. Be sure to move the ball around, there should be a thin white layer on the bottom of the pot.

Move dough ball to a bowl and let cool off.

Add the cocoa and first egg. Beat in one egg at a time. First the dough will appear crumbly. Depending on the size of the eggs, you will have to beat in between 2-4 eggs. I normally need 3. The right consistency is reached if the dough slowly drops off a spoon and looks glossy.

Preheat oven to 220 degrees Celsius.

Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and pipe on about 10 eclairs on a sheet. Each eclair should be about 15cm long and about 2cm wide. Leave space between each as they will puff considerably.

Bake eclairs on medium rack for 10min, reduce temperature to 180 and bake for another 10min. Do NOT open the oven door as otherwise the eclaris will shrink.

Turn oven off after a total baking time of 20min, but leave the eclairs inside. Put a wooden spoon between the oven door and let eclairs cool off 10min before taking out.

Cut eclairs in half while still warm.

Assemble the eclairs by piping on the cream on the lower half, put second half on top and spread caramel on top part.

If you prepared the caramel the day before, heat a little to get a spreadable consistency.