French Chocolate clairs

Serving: Approx. 16 clairs Total Time: 100mins

Ingredients

Choux pastry

300ml thickened cream

60g butter, chopped

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2/3 cup plain flour

1 teaspoon caster sugar

3 eggs, lightly beaten

100g dark chocolate, chopped

Two zip lock bags for piping

Tips and Hints

15g butter

Don't overfill your piping bag, or it will be very difficult to control your piping
Be careful not to burn your chocolate in the microwave
Make sure your clairs are cool before piping the
cream.

Method
Step 1. Preheat oven to 220C/200C fan-forced. Line 2 large baking trays with
baking paper. To make basic choux pastry: Combine butter and 2/3 cup cold water in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until butter has
melted and mixture just starts to boil.
Step 2. Reduce heat to low. Add flour. Cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes or until
mixture comes away from side of pan and forms a ball. Set aside for 5 minutes
to cool slightly.
Step 3. Reserve 2 teaspoons egg. Using a wooden spoon, gradually beat in remaining egg until well combined and mixture forms a glossy dough (mixture
should drop from the spoon).
Step 4. Spoon dough into piping bag and cut bottom corner off. Pipe 12cm long
logs, 6cm apart, onto prepared trays. Brush with reserved egg.
Step 5. Bake 1 tray of clairs for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to 180C/160C fanforced. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden and puffed. Using a knife, carefully cut clairs in half horizontally, return to oven, cut-side up. Bake for 5
minutes to dry out centres. Cool on tray. Increase temperature to 220C/200C
fan-forced. Repeat this with the second tray. Allow clairs to cool completely.
Step 6. Using an electric mixer, beat cream, vanilla and sugar until firm peaks.
Place chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 1 to 2
minutes or until smooth, stirring every 30 seconds.
Step 7. Spoon cream into second bag and pipe cream evenly over clair bases.
Spread tops with chocolate mixture and place over cream. Refrigerate for 20
minutes or until chocolate has set. Serve.
Equipment

Spoons

Cooling rack

Bowls

2 baking trays

Oven

Knives

Wooden spoon

Microwave

Saucepan

Teaspoons

Electric beaters

Measuring cups

History
Not a lot is known about the origin of the clair
but we do know that the clair originated just
before the start of the nineteenth century in
France. The clair was first called pain la
duchesse or petite duchesse. It is believed
that the clairs were created by Marie-Antoine
Carme, the famous French chef. clairs are a
popular member of the pie family. The word
clair means 'flash of lightning', it was named
this because it is eaten quickly or in a flash.
Last year National Chocolate clair day was
celebrated on June 22nd. It was a day created
for everyone to enjoy a delicious cream filled
pastry covered in smooth chocolate.

Evaluation
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4.

How did the clairs taste?

Did the clairs turn out how you expected?
How did the texture feel of the clairs?
How did the clairs smell?

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Questions
1.

Were there any other ingredients you could have added to the clairs to
make them better?

2.

If you could change one thing, what would it be?

3.

Did you and your partner utilise your time well?

4.

What would rate your presentation out of 5? Why?