TO MAKE THE ECLAIRS:
1. Melt the butter in a saucepan then add the boiling water. Bring to the boil (you can place the lid on saucepan to prevent water from evaporating)
2. Add the flour all at once – and stir with a wooden spoon. Cook for about 2 minutes whilst stirring well.
3. Remove from the heat, transfer the choux paste to a clean bowl.
4. Leave to cool for at least 5 minutes or more.
5. Add the eggs one at a time and beat well after every addition.
6. Place teaspoons full (or pipe desired shapes or eclairs) of the paste onto a greased baking tray.
7. Bake for 10 minutes at 200°C and then turn down the heat to 180°C for another 20 minutes.
8. Pierce with skewer 5 minutes before the end of the baking time to release steam.
9. If the eclairs still feel a little moist – switch off the oven and leave them in the oven for another 10 minutes.
Cool completely.

TO MAKE THE CHOCOLATE TOPPING:
1. Melt the dark chocolate, cream, icing sugar and the cacao in a microwave oven on low setting and mix well to make the chocolate topping. Cool it slightly.

TO FINISH:
1. Whip the cream with the castor sugar and the vanilla extract. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a sharp nozzle.
2. Make small holes at the bottom of the eclairs and pipe with the whipped cream and drizzle with chocolate topping.
3. Place in fridge for 30 minutes before serving.