Eclairs, Coffee and Chocolate Cream

Put into a saucepan one pint of water, a pint of milk, half a pound of butter, two ounces of sugar and some salt; place it on the fire. When the liquid begins to boil remove the saucepan and incorporate into it a pound of sifted flour, mixing it in quickly with a spatula; return the saucepan to the fire and continue to work the paste vigorously for a few moments in order to dry and have it smooth, and when it detaches from the bottom of the saucepan take it off the fire and leave it for a second to fall below boiling heat, then incorporate into it slowly two whole eggs, stirring in well with the spatula. As these are well mixed add two more, and continue this operation until the paste has absorbed fourteen or sixteen eggs. With this paste fill three-quarters full a linen pocket furnished with a three-eighths of an inch diameter socket (Fig. 179), and lay the eclairs through it three and a half inches long, at short distances from each other, on a lightly buttered baking sheet; egg over the tops and cook them in a slow oven. When done take them from the baking sheet and split them through the sides, either with a small knife or a pair of scissors, and fill them up with vanilla pastry cream (No. 46). Immediately dip them to half their depth into chocolate or coffee icing (No. 99) and lay them on a wire grate to drain and dry the icing. Place an instant at the oven door to gloss.