Eclairs (Edit)

Components

  • Pate a Choux

  • Pastry Cream

  • Chocolate Ganache

Yield

12 servings

Ingredients

  • None

Directions

  • If you have a piping tool with a long nozzle, then you can pipe the pastry cream right into the pastry. If you don’t have the right tools or you don’t feel confident in your piping skills, you can cut the eclairs lengthwise and then just fill them that way.

  • If you chose to pipe the first way (above) then pick up the whole eclair and dip the top into the ganache. If you cut the eclairs in half, dip the top side of the top half in the ganache before placing it on top of the pastry cream.

  • Place eclairs in the fridge for at least an hour to allow them to set.

Pate a Choux

Ingredients

  • ½ cup milk

  • ½ cup water

  • ½ cup unsalted butter

  • 2 Tbsp sugar

  • 1 cup flour

  • ½ tsp vanilla

  • 3 large eggs

  • 2 large egg whites

Steps

  • Heat milk, water, butter, and sugar over medium heat in a pot.

  • When the mixture reaches a boil, add one cup of flour all at once; stir constantly until mixture begins to pull away from the sides of the pan and forms a ball.

  • Remove from heat and cool for 3 minutes.

  • Then add vanilla, eggs, and egg whites (both egg types should compositely equal one cup) and stir.

  • Put dough into a pastry piping bag and pipe the dough onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. To make mini eclairs, pipe into 2 inch lines; for regular eclairs, pipe into 4 inch lines; for cream puffs, 2 inch balls. If there are “peaks” on the pastries, wet your finger with cold water and gently smooth those down.

  • Bake at 400F for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350F and resume baking for an additional 30 minutes (could be less time depending on your oven).

  • Once the pastry is done baking and you’ve pulled it out of the oven, pierce one end of the pastry to vent the steam.

Pastry Cream

Ingredients

  • 5 large egg yolks

  • ¼ cup cornstarch

  • ¼ cup sugar

  • pinch of salt

  • 2½ cup half & half

  • ¼ cup sugar

  • 4 Tbsp butter

  • 1 Tbsp vanilla

Steps

  • Whisk together egg yolks, cornstarch, sugar, and salt in medium bowl.

  • Heat half & half and sugar in saucepan to a simmer.

  • Slowly add cream to the egg mixture while continuously whisking so the eggs don’t cook. If you add the hot cream too quickly or don’t stir while adding it, it’s likely that the egg will cook and you’ll have to start the filling over.

  • Pour the mixture back into the pan, return to heat, and whisk until large bubbles burst.

Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients

  • ½ cup chocolate morsels

  • ½ cup heavy cream

Steps

  • Heat cream over medium heat until it simmers, then pour over chocolate.

  • Allow to sit for 5 minutes to heat the chocolate pieces.

  • Stir until smooth.

  • If any chocolate remains unmelted, place bowl in the microwave for 15 second intervals until mixture achieves desired consistency.