Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
2. Prepare the choux pastry:
   • In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt. Once the butter has melted, remove the pan from the heat.
   • Add the flour to the butter mixture and gently stir until combined.
   • Return the pan to the heat and using the back of a wooden spatula, beat the dough until a think layer forms at the bottom of the pan and holds together in a ball.
   • Remove the dough from the heat and place it a bowl of an electric mixer. Using the paddle attachment on medium speed, mix the dough until it is cool to the touch. (This will take about 5 minutes. It is crucial that the you let the dough cool completely to avoid a runny mixture when the eggs are added or scrambling the eggs).
   • With the mixer running, add the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated. It should form a stretchy and slightly sticky dough.
   • Fill a piping bag fitted with a fluted tip with the dough and pipe out 10cm long  lines across a greased baking sheet. Be sure to leave an inch gap between each line.
   • Gently brush the lines with egg wash then place them in the oven for 35-40 mins until lightly browned. Rotate the tray half way to allow even baking throughout.
   • Remove the éclairs from oven and place them on a wire rack to cool. Once cooled, using a small plain tip, pierce the bottoms of the eclairs with 2 holes.
3. Prepare the Crème Pâtissière:
   • Pour the milk into a saucepan. Scrape out the seeds of a vanilla pod and add it to the milk along with the seedless pod (you can substitute in the vanilla extract here). Add 15g of the sugar and allow it to come to a boil.
   • Meanwhile place the yolks and remaining sugar in a bowl and mix until combined. Then whisk in the cornstarch.
   • Once the milk has come to a boil, pour a third of the milk into the egg yolk mixture and whisk it until incorporated (to temper the eggs). Then pour the egg mixture back into the pan and allow it cook on medium heat until thickened (1-2 minutes).
   • Pass the crème pâtissière through a sieve into a clean bowl. Separate the cream into two bowls and add the dark chocolate to one of the bowls and stir until melted through.
   • Wrap both bowls with clingfilm. Let the clingfilm touch the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming.
   • Let the crème pâtissière cool to room temperature then place it in the fridge until ready to use.
4. Prepare the chocolate sauce:
   1. Combine the dark chocolate, milk and honey in a bowl and place it in the microwave until the chocolate has melted through.
   2. In a separate bowl, melt the white chocolate in the microwave.
5. Assemble:
   
   1. Dip the top surface of the éclairs into the chocolate sauce. Using a teaspoon, run strands of white chocolate across the éclairs to decorate.
   2. Just before serving, remove the crème pâtissière fro
      m the fridge and loosen it with a whisk. Pour the cream into two separate piping bags fitted with a medium plain tip
   3. Squeeze the vanilla pastry cream into the bottoms of half of the eclairs and do the same with the chocolate cream.