Easy Chocolate Eclairs

Ingredients:

Eclairs

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup flour
• 4 eggs

Filling

• 2 (3 oz.) pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix
• 2 cups unsweetened whipped cream or topping from 1 envelope whipped topping mix

Chocolate Frosting

• 1 (6 oz.) pkg. semisweet chocolate pieces, melted
• 3 tbsp. water (about)
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. In 1-quart saucepan, combine butter and water. Over high heat, bring to boil. Add flour all at once and stir vigorously until mixture no longer sticks to sides of pan. Remove from heat. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Drop dough by heaping teaspoon, 2 inches apart, onto cookie sheet sprayed with vegetable cooking spray.
2. Bake at 450°F 15 to 20 minutes (until tops begin to brown). Reduce heat to 325°F and bake 10 to 15 minutes longer, or until puffed up and golden brown. (Eclairs will be small round puffs, not elongated like commercially made eclairs.) Remove from cookie sheet and cool on rack.
3. Prepare filling: Prepare pudding according to package directions. In bowl, combine pudding and whipped topping or whipped cream. Mix well.
4. Prepare frosting: In bowl, combine melted chocolate pieces and water. Beat in powdered sugar. Add a little more water, if necessary, to achieve spreading consistency.
5. Slice off tops of cooled eclairs. Spoon filling into bottoms. Replace tops. Spread frosting on tops. Makes 20 to 24 eclairs about 2-1/2 inches in diameter.

Submitted by Sue Stoecker