Yummy chocolate eclairs

I always wanted to give those a try and had been meaning to try them. Once you have enough time, then only try this process as it is a long process of making the eclairs base, baking, making of filling and the dipping top layer.

Remember this is my first attempt and with every try results improve.

Let's start with the first step, making of dough process. Since eclairs are french original, here is the first recipe:

Pâte à Choux
Yield: approx. 2 1/2 cups dough

1 cup water
1/2 cup butter, cut in small pieces
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sifted flour
4 eggs

Heat the water, butter, sugar, and salt together in a sauce pan until it comes to a boil. Add the flour all at once and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a thick ball that leaves the sides of the pan. Continue cooking, stirring, for another two minutes. Remove from the heat.

Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixture fitted with a paddle attachment. (You can do this part by hand, but it can be a slippery, exhausting task). Beat the eggs in one at a time on medium-low speed. When all eggs are incorporated, beat an additional 20-30 seconds until the batter is shiny and smooth.

Place the batter in a piping bag and pipe into the desired shapes onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 425° F until puffed and nicely browned. Cool puffs completely as directed for each shape.

(Side note- at first you might think that the dough is not forming and it's a paste but the dough does form, so be patient)

Second step is cream filling for inside:

Pastry CreamYield: About 2 cups
adapted from Patisserie of France, by H. Walden, 1988

1 1/4 cups milk (whole milk preferred)
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
3 TBS flour
2 tsp corn starch
dash salt
1 tsp vanilla

Heat the milk on the stove (or in the microwave) until bubbles form at the edges of the pan and it is just starting to steam. Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks and sugar together until they are thick and yellow and will leave a trail across the surface when the beater is lifted. Mix together the flour, cornstarch, and salt and stir into the egg mixture.

Pour the hot milk into the egg mixture slowly with the beater running to temper the eggs. Rinse the milk heating sauce pan and return the mixture to it and heat over medium, stirring continuously, until the mixture just starts to boil. It will be very thick and may not look like it is boiling while you are stirring, so stop stirring for a moment from time to time to check its status. Once it reaches a boil, continue cooking and stirring for another two minutes. This step is very important to have a smooth pastry cream that does not have a raw flour flavor.

After the two minutes, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Pass the mixture through a sieve and into a bowl to remove any lumps. Cover with plastic wrap so that the wrap is touching the surface of the cream so that a skin does not form. Chill for a few hours or overnight before using. Pastry cream will keep about four days in the refrigerator or one day at room temperature in pastries.

Thirdly, you will fill the eclairs with the filling by making a hole on the side and filling the eclairs with the custard filling from the piping bag.

Last but not least, the dip covered chocolate process:

Making the glaze, which you want to have harden into a firm topping that can be handled somewhat, is pretty straight forward. Melt three ounces of chocolate with two teaspoons of corn syrup in a double boiler or in the microwave. When the chocolate is mostly melted, stop heating it and let the residual warmth melt the remaining bits. Add one tablespoon of butter and stir until the mixture is smooth and glossy.

It is easiest to dip the eclairs if the chocolate mixture is in a shallow bowl. Dip the top half of the eclair in the chocolate and shake it while still upside down to let the extra chcocolate drip off. Then turn the eclairs right side up and set them on a tray or rack to set. Depending on the temperature and humidity in your house, the dry time will vary. I think it took mine about twenty minutes the other day. It does not form a hard shell; it is more like the chocolate glaze on a donut, so be gentle when handling even after they have dried.

I opened and ripped the eclairs from the middle to show the filling drippings :)

I hope you enjoy the sweet treat!!!