Coffee Eclairs with Pecan Streusel

Coffee eclairs:

1. Preheat oven to 250c degrees and turn it just before baking.
2. In a medium saucepan put water, salt, sugar and butter and heat to a strong boil.
3. Add cornstarch and flour and stir while cooking, until it turns into a lump of dough.
4. Transfer the dough to the bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment and mix on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until it cools down a little.
5. Add the eggs gradually while beating until dough is elastic and smooth. Check the readiness of dough by creating a “trail” with a wooden spoon in the center of the dough – if the track remains stable, add some eggs, and if it closes a bit – the dough is ready. It is important not to add too many eggs to the dough or it may become too soft and ruined.
6. Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a serrated 2 cm piping tip. On a baking tray lined with baking paper pipe 8-10 cm long eclairs. It’s important to leave some space between the eclairs.
7. Bake the eclairs in the shut-down oven for about 18-20 minutes. It is important not to open the oven door during this time.
8. Turn the oven to 170c degrees (while eclairs are still in) and continue to bake for 10-15 minutes. In the last 5 minutes of baking, leave the oven door open slot (put a wooden spoon in oven door). Cool completely at room temperature.
9. Make 2 small holes at the bottom of each eclair.

Coffee Cream:

1. In a medium saucepan put milk and coffee and heat to simmering point.
2. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch until blended.
3. When the milk mixture reaches simmering point, pour about 1/3 of the milk over the egg yolk mixture, while whisking until mixture is smooth.
4. Transfer the mixture back into the pan with the remaining milk and whisk well.
5. Return to cook over medium heat, while whisking constantly, until you get a thick cream. The cream is ready when it thickens and begins to bubble.
6. Add in the butter and stir well until dissolved.
7. Transfer the cream into a flat container, cover the top with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for two hours or until it is completely cold.
8. Transfer the cold cream into a clean bowl and beat until it returns to its original texture.
9. In a separate mixer bowl, whip cream until stiff and fold into the coffee cream until blended.
10. Transfer the cream into a piping bag fitted with a 1/2 cm round piping tip and fill the eclairs. Refrigerate.

Pecan crumble:

1. In a food processor with a steel blade put flour, pecans, butter, sugar and salt and process until mixture is crumbly.
2. Transfer the crumbs onto a pan lined with baking paper.
3. Preheat oven to 170c degrees.
4. Bake the crumbs for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.
5. Cool completely before use.

Coffee glaze:

1. Chop the chocolate and put in a bowl.
2. Add nappage, cream and instant coffee and solvents together in the microwave or over double boiler, until everything is melted and mixture is smooth.
3. Cool for about 7-10 minutes at room temperature.
4. Dip the top of each éclair in the glaze and remove excess coating.
5. Sprinkle pecan crumble on top and serve.