Instructions: Put the water and butter in a saucepan and place on the simmering plate to melt the butter and then to boil.

Meanwhile sieve the flour onto a plate. When the butterwater mixture is boiling tip in the flour all at once and beat well with a wooden spoon.

When the mixture leaves the sides of the pan clean remove from the heat.

Beat in the eggs an electric whisk is easiest.

Put the choux paste into a piping bag with a plain nozzle.

Grease two baking trays and pipe the paste into 100mm lengths.

Space them well to allow for rising.

Put the shelf on the bottom set of runners in the roasting oven.

Slide in the trays and bake the eclairs for about 20 minutes until risen golden brown and crisp.

Turn the eclairs onto a cooling rack and slit each one down one side to allow steam to escape.

Cool.

Whip the cream and put into a piping bag. Prepare the icing: dissolve the coffee in the boiling water. Sieve in the icing sugar and stir well.

The icing should be the thickness of thick cream.

Pipe the cream into the eclairs.

Dip the tops of the eclairs into the coffee icing.

Allow to set before serving.

Eclairs are just right for afternoon tea. They can be made small and fingersized or for less delicate appetites long and full of cream. Coffee is less sweet than chocolate icing but melted chocolate can be used if preferred.

Makes 8 eclairs

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