Eclairs - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter or 1/2 cup margarine
1 cup water
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
FILLING
1 (5 ounce) package vanilla instant pudding mix
2 1/2 cups cold milk
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
CHOCOLATE ICING
2 (1 ounce) semi-sweet chocolate baking squares
2 tablespoons butter or 2 tablespoons margarine
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 -3 tablespoons hot water

Preparation

In a saucepan, combine butter and water.
Bring to a rapid boil, stirring until the butter melts.
Reduce heat to low; add flour and salt.
Stir vigorously until mixture leaves the sides of the pan and forms a stiff ball.
Remove from heat.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
With a tablespoon or a pastry tube fitted with a No. 10 or larger tip, spoon or pipe dough into 4-in.-long x 1-1/2-in.-wide strips on a greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 450\u00b0 for 15 minutes.
Reduce heat to 325\u00b0; bake 20 minutes longer.
Cool on a wire rack.
For filling, combine pudding mix and milk; mix according to package directions.
In another bowl, whip the cream until soft peaks form.
Beat in sugar and vanilla; fold into pudding.
Fill cooled shells. (Chill remaining pudding for another use.)
For icing, melt chocolate and butter in a saucepan over low heat.
Stir in sugar.
Add hot water until icing is smooth and reaches desired consistency.
Cool slightly.
Spread over eclairs.
Chill until serving.