Toasted

Chocolate Éclairs

Ingredients
For the choux pastry
120 ml (½ cup) water
120 ml (½ cup) whole milk
100 g (7 tbsp) unsalted butter
1 tbsp granulated sugar
¼ tsp salt
125 g (1 cup) all-purpose flour
4 large eggs, room temperature

For the vanilla pastry cream
500 ml (2 cups) whole milk
4 egg yolks
100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
40 g (⅓ cup) cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla extract
25 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter

For the chocolate glaze
150 g dark or semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
120 ml (½ cup) heavy/whipping cream
15 g (1 tbsp) butter, optional
Chocolate shavings, optional

Method
First make the pastry cream. Heat the milk until steaming. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch until smooth, then gradually whisk in the hot milk. Return everything to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking continuously, until thick. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and butter. Cover the surface directly and chill completely.
For the choux pastry, combine the water, milk, butter, sugar and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then add all the flour at once. Stir vigorously over medium heat for 1–2 minutes, until a smooth dough forms and pulls away from the sides.
Cool the dough for about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. The finished choux should be smooth, glossy and thick enough to hold its shape.
Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large star or round nozzle. Pipe 10–12 cm (4–5 inch) strips onto a parchment-lined baking tray, leaving plenty of space between them.
Bake at 200°C / 400°F for 10 minutes, then reduce to 180°C / 350°F and bake for another 20–25 minutes, until deeply golden, crisp and dry. Don't open the oven during the early stages of baking. Cool completely.
Make small holes underneath the cooled éclairs and pipe in the chilled pastry cream until each éclair feels full.
Heat the cream until steaming and pour over the chopped chocolate. Leave for 2 minutes, then stir until glossy; add butter if desired. Dip or spread the top of each éclair in the chocolate glaze. Let the glaze set slightly before serving.

Tip: Properly baked choux should feel light and hollow, not soft or heavy. A deep golden color helps ensure the shells are dry enough to stay crisp after they're filled.

Classic Butter Cookies

Ingredients
225 g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
100 g (¾ cup) icing/powdered sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
250 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
30 g (¼ cup) cornstarch
¼ tsp salt
1–2 tbsp milk, only if needed for piping

Method
Heat the oven to 175°C / 350°F. Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
Beat the softened butter and icing sugar for 3–4 minutes, until very pale, creamy and fluffy.
Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. Sift together the flour, cornstarch and salt, then gradually mix them into the butter mixture.
Mix only until a soft, smooth dough forms. If the dough is too stiff to pipe, add milk 1 teaspoon at a time.
Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a large open-star tip. Pipe rosettes or swirls onto the prepared trays, leaving a little space between each cookie.
Refrigerate the piped cookies for 20 minutes to help them retain their shape. Bake for 12–15 minutes, until the centers remain pale and the edges turn light golden.
Leave on the baking tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container once cooled.

Tip: The butter should be soft enough to beat easily but not melted or greasy. Chilling the piped cookies before baking is especially important for keeping their sharp, decorative ridges.

Crispy Chicken Spring Rolls

Ingredients
For the filling
300 g boneless chicken breast, cooked and shredded
1 tbsp neutral oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tsp grated ginger
150 g (about 2 cups) finely shredded cabbage
1 medium carrot, julienned or grated
½ bell pepper, thinly sliced
3 spring onions, finely sliced
1½ tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
½ tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp sugar
Salt, if needed

For assembling
12–14 spring roll wrappers
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2–3 tbsp water
Neutral oil, for deep frying

For serving
Sweet chili sauce or your preferred dipping sauce

Method
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large frying pan or wok. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry briefly until fragrant.
Add the shredded chicken, cabbage, carrot and bell pepper. Stir-fry over medium-high heat for 3–5 minutes, keeping the vegetables slightly crisp.
Add the soy sauce, sesame oil, black pepper and sugar. Stir in the spring onions and cook for another minute. Transfer the filling to a bowl and cool completely.
Mix the flour and water into a thick sealing paste. Place one spring roll wrapper in a diamond shape and spoon about 2 tablespoons of filling near the lower corner.
Fold the bottom corner over the filling, fold both sides inward and roll tightly. Brush the final corner with flour paste and seal. Repeat with the remaining wrappers.
Heat frying oil to approximately 175°C / 350°F. Fry the spring rolls in small batches for 3–4 minutes, turning occasionally, until evenly crisp and deep golden. Drain on a wire rack or paper towels.
Serve immediately while hot and crunchy, with sweet chili sauce on the side.

Tip: Make sure the chicken filling is cool and relatively dry before wrapping. Hot or wet filling softens the wrappers and can cause the spring rolls to split during frying.

Blender Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Ingredients
2 ripe bananas
2 large eggs
240 ml (1 cup) milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
150 g (1¼ cups) all-purpose flour
40 g (½ cup) rolled oats
2 tbsp granulated or brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
80 g (½ cup) chocolate chips
Butter or neutral oil, for cooking

For serving
Sliced banana
Chocolate chips
Maple syrup or honey

Method
Add the bananas, eggs, milk and vanilla to a blender. Add the flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
Blend for about 20–30 seconds, just until the batter becomes smooth. Avoid prolonged blending, which can make the pancakes less tender.
Let the batter rest for 5 minutes so the oats and flour can hydrate. Stir in about two-thirds of the chocolate chips by hand rather than blending them.
Heat a lightly buttered nonstick pan or griddle over medium-low heat. Pour about ¼ cup of batter for each pancake. Sprinkle a few chocolate chips over each one.
Cook for 2–3 minutes, until bubbles appear on the surface and the edges look set. Flip once and cook for another 1–2 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.
Transfer the cooked pancakes to a plate and repeat with the remaining batter, lightly greasing the pan as necessary.
Stack the warm pancakes and top with sliced banana, extra chocolate chips and a generous drizzle of maple syrup or honey.

Tip: Use very ripe, brown-spotted bananas. They blend more smoothly and provide enough natural sweetness and banana flavor to stand out against the chocolate.

Chocolate Fudge Loaf Cake

Ingredients
For the chocolate loaf
190 g (1½ cups) all-purpose flour
45 g (½ cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
170 g (¾ cup) unsalted butter, softened
180 g (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) granulated sugar
50 g (¼ cup) brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
120 ml (½ cup) milk
100 g dark or semi-sweet chocolate, melted
100 g (½ cup) chocolate chips or chunks

For the fudge ganache
150 g dark or semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
120 ml (½ cup) heavy/whipping cream
15 g (1 tbsp) unsalted butter
Chocolate curls or shavings for finishing

Method
Heat the oven to 175°C / 350°F. Grease a standard loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.
Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Beat the softened butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar for 3–4 minutes, until creamy and slightly fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla.
Mix in the melted chocolate. Add the dry ingredients in batches, alternating with the milk. Fold gently until almost combined, then fold in the chocolate chips.
Transfer the thick batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the surface. Scatter a few extra chocolate chips over the top if desired.
Bake for 50–60 minutes, until the loaf is risen and a skewer inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool for 15 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a rack and cool completely.
For the fudge ganache, heat the cream until steaming. Pour it over the chopped chocolate and leave for 2–3 minutes. Add the butter and stir until thick, smooth and glossy. Let it cool slightly, then pour generously over the loaf. Finish with chocolate curls or shavings.

Tip: Don't wait for a completely dry skewer—the loaf stays much fudgier when removed from the oven while a few moist chocolate crumbs still cling to the tester.