Food

Choux Pastry – Eclairs

Recipes:

Choux Pastry:

  • 1 Cup (8 oz) Water
  • 4 oz (one stick) butter, cubed
  • 145 grams AP Flour (about 3/4 cup)
  • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • Pinch Salt
  • 4 Large eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 375º. Prep a baking sheet with parchment or silpat.

Bring water to a boil over medium high heat, and add sugar, salt and butter. When it return to a boil, dump in the flour all at once. Stir vigorously until it comes together in a single mass and leaves a film on the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes. Stir in the eggs and beat mercilessly with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until the mixture becomes smooth and glossy.

Prepare a pastry bag with a large star tip. Using a tall glass to steady the pastry bag, fill with the dough. Pipe in straight lines about 5″ by 1″. Place in the oven, and using a spray bottle, mist the inside of the oven. Shut the door and bake for about 30 minutes.

When the eclairs are golden brown and puffed, remove from the oven. Poke each on the top about four times using a skewer, to allow the steam to escape. Once they’ve all been baked, you can keep them crisp in a warm (not hot!) oven until you’re ready to fill them.

Make cream patisserie and ganache (below). Using a pastry filling tip or large round tip, fill the eclairs with the cream patisserie. If you’re using the filling tip, fill from each end. If you’re using a large round tip, fill by making four holes in the top of each eclair. Dip the top of the eclairs into the ganache, and set in the fridge to cool and set. Enjoy.

Cream Patisseire

  • 2 Cups whole milk
  • 6 Tbsp sugar
  • 3 Tbsp corn starch
  • 1 Tbsp real vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • Pinch salt
  • 3 Tbsp butter, cubed

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, salt and corn starch until it’s evenly blended. Whisk in the egg, yolks, and vanilla.

Heat the milk in a medium saucepan until it starts to simmer. Whisk 1/2 cup of the hot milk into the sugar and egg mixture to temper it. Then whisk all that mixture back into the hot milk. Cook, whisking constantly, over medium heat until it comes to a boil, and then for another two minutes. Pour into a bowl, and cover the whole surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Chill well, about 2 hours.

Chocolate Ganache

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips or pieces

In a microwave safe bowl, heat the cream for 30 seconds on high. Add the chocolate and let it sit for a few minutes to melt. Whisk until smooth. If some of the chocolate is still not melted, microwave for an additional 10 seconds and whisk again. Cool to room temperature.