Page 406 - CMC Recipe Book

Method
Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan) gas mark 6. Line baking trays with baking parchment. To make the choux pastry, melt butter and 900 ml water in a medium pan over low heat. Turn up the heat and bring to the boil. As soon as boiling, take pan off heat and quickly beat in flour with a wooden spoon. Keep beating until mixture is shiny and comes away from sides of pan. Empty into a mixing bowl and cool for 10 minutes.
Using the mixer, gradually beat enough egg into dough until a spoonful of it will reluctantly fall of the spoon if held above the bowl (too loose and the éclairs won't rise well). Scrape into a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle. Pipe a 13.5 cm line on to a lined tray, doubling back so it is 2 lines thick. Repeat with remaining mixture to make 32 éclairs, spacing apart. With a damp finger, gently pat down any peaks.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until deep golden and crisp. Remove from oven. Using a serrated knife, carefully slice each éclair in half horizontally, leaving one long edge attached. Return to oven (opened out) for 5-7min to dry out. Cool on a wire rack.
Meanwhile make the crème pâtissière. Heat milk in a pan until just steaming. Beat yolks, sugar, flour, cornflour and vanilla together in a heatproof bowl. Gradually whisk 1/3 of the milk into the egg mixture, until smooth. Whisk egg mixture back into the remaining milk in the pan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until thick and smooth (it will go very lumpy at first). Remove from heat, scrape into a bowl, lay clingfilm on the surface to stop a skin forming. Cool then chill until needed.
For the rhubarb, line a large baking tray with fresh baking parchment. Heat sugar with 400 ml water in a medium pan over low heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Increase heat to medium and bubble for 1 minute. Add rhubarb and gently cook for 1-2 minutes, until just beginning to soften. Remove rhubarb to prepared tray with a slotted spoon. Cool completely.
To make the icing, mix icing sugar with just enough water to make a thick but spreadable icing. Mix in some pink food colouring, if using.
Scrape cooled crème pâtissière into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm star nozzle and pipe into each éclair in a swirl. Arrange rhubarb on top. Spread icing on top and sprinkle over the sweets. Serve immediately.