Homemade Chocolate Eclairs

Directions

1. 1
   Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Butter a baking sheet.
2. 2
   Heat 3/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons water, 8 1/2 tablespoons butter, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil; turn off the heat and sift in flour. Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until mixture is well combined and leaves the sides of the pan.
3. 3
   Cool the mixture to room temperature, about 10 minutes. Crack in eggs, 1 at a time, stirring gradually into a smooth dough. Lift the spoon to check the consistency; dough should slide gradually back into the bowl.
4. 4
   Fit a piping bag with a coupler and 3/4-inch round nozzle. Drop piping bag, nozzle-down, into a tall glass and fold edges down around the glass. Spoon dough into the bag. Gather edges and twist together.
5. 5
   Pipe dough into 5-inch-long logs onto the prepared baking sheet. Press logs down with wet fingers if any peaks form.
6. 6
   Bake in the preheated oven until golden and firm, 30 to 35 minutes. Let eclairs cool on a wire rack while preparing the topping and filling.
7. 7
   Place chocolate and 1/4 cup butter in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir frequently, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching, until chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
8. 8
   Beat cream in a chilled glass or metal bowl using an electric mixer until frothy. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract gradually, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form. Fill a clean piping bag with the whipped cream.
9. 9
   Use a paring knife to cut an X in either end of each eclair. Pipe a portion of the whipped cream into one end of each eclair until it starts to ooze out the other side. Dip the top halves in melted chocolate-butter mixture. Refrigerate eclairs until filling hardens, about 30 minutes.