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1
Preheat the oven to 425F (220C).
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2
Line 2 large baking trays with wax paper.
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3
Sift the flour on to a separate piece of wax paper.
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4
To make the cream puffs, combine the water, butter, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-low heat; make sure the butter melts.
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5
Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute until the mixture forms a very thick paste that lightly covers the bottom of the pan.
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6
Remove and cool for 5 minutes.
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7
Gradually stir the eggs into the paste (it will be loose at first, but will come together with stirring) to make a stiff, smooth, and shiny dough.
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8
Spoon the dough into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 in (1cm) plain tip.
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9
Pipe 16 walnut-sized rounds on the prepared baking sheets.
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10
Bake for 1518 minutes, until well puffed and golden.
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11
Remove from the oven and make a small slit in the side of each puff to allow the steam to escape.
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12
Return to the oven for 35 minutes more, until crisp.
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13
Cool completely on the sheet.
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14
To make the sauce, bring 1/2 cup of the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat.
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15
Remove from the heat and add the chocolate, butter, and syrup.
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16
Let stand until the chocolate is softened, then whisk until smooth.
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17
Keep warm.
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18
To make the filling, clean the pastry bag and tip.
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19
Whip the remaining 1 cup cream with the confectioner's sugar and vanilla in a chilled bowl until stiff.
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20
Transfer to the pastry bag fitted with the tip.
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21
Cut each puff in half crosswise.
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Fill the bottom half of each with whipped cream and replace the top.
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23
To serve, pour the sauce over the puffs and serve at once.
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24
Variation:
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25
Chocolate Eclairs: Instead of piping mounds on to the prepared baking sheets, pipe 2in (5cm) lengths and bake as for the puffs.
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26
You should be able to make 10 eclairs.
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27
Let them cool, then fill as for the puffs, and spread with 5 1/2 oz (150g) melted bittersweet chocolate that has been allowed to cool.
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28
Let set for a few minutes in the refrigerator before serving.
