Liam Charles’s Éclair-inets

Method

Step 1
Preheat oven to 220°C/200°C fan/430°F/Gas 7.

Step 2
For the choux pastry, gently heat the butter, milk, butter, salt and sugar in a pan over a medium heat. Once the butter has melted, increase the heat and quickly bring the mixture to the boil. Tip the flour in one go and beat vigorously to combine.

Step 3
Reduce the heat and beat until the dough comes away from the sides of the pan. Continue to bet for two more minutes, keeping the pan on a low heat.

Step 4
Transfer the dough to a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and allow to cool slightly.

Step 5
In a separate small bowl, lightly whisk the eggs together to combine.

Step 6
With the stand mixer on a medium speed, gradually add the egg until you achieve a smooth, glossy dough which forms a ‘V’ shape on a spatula when lifted. You may not need all of the egg. Alternatively, you can do this by hand in a large mixing bowl with a wooden spoon. A damp tea towel placed underneath the bowl should help it to stay in place while you beat the mixture.

Step 7
Transfer the choux pastry to a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle. Pipe a single line of choux, approximately 20cm long. You will have left over choux.

Step 8
Brush lightly with the left-over beaten egg.

Step 9
Bake for 12 minutes before turning the oven down to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/Gas 4 for a further 15 minutes.

Step 10
Once baked, poke holes in the sides of the choux and leave in the turned off oven to cool.

Step 11
For the crème diplomat, add the toffee popcorn to a large saucepan then pour over the milk. Don’t worry if the milk doesn’t cover the popcorn, it will quickly break down. Heat the milk on high until it boils, then turn down and simmer for 3-4 minutes to infuse the milk with the popcorn flavour.

Step 12
In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, caster sugar and cornflour. Pour the hot milk through a sieve onto the egg yolk mixture. Press down on the popcorn to squeeze out as much flavour as possible. Discard the popcorn. Whisk together the milk and egg yolks until combined.

Step 13
Return the mixture to the pan, and heat over a medium heat, until the mixture has thickened to the consistency of Greek yoghurt. This is now crème pâtissière.

Step 14
Push the mixture through a sieve into a clean bowl, then cover closely with cling film and set aside to cool.

Step 15
Once the crème pâtissière has fully cooled, whip the double cream to soft peaks and fold through the cooled crème pâtissière, to make your crème diplomat. Transfer to a piping fitted with a large plain nozzle.

Step 16
For assembly, once the éclair has cooled, slice it in half horizontally. Pipe large balls of crème diplomat down the middle of the bottom of the eclair, then replace the top.

Step 17
For decoration, roll out the white and gold fondant on a surface lightly dusted with cornflour. Use the small end of a plain piping nozzle to cut out keys for the clarinet, using the template to help. Use a knife to cut small strips of fondant for the clarinet, again using the template to help. Brush the fondant with a little water to stick to the éclair.