Chocolate Éclairs
French Pastries… oui, s’il vous plaît! 🙏
My mother did quite a bit of baking when I was younger. She made many desserts from scratch. The odd time, she bought “prepared mixes” from the store. I liked the Chocolate Cake from Duncan Hines until I was old enough to make my own chocolate cake. She made some pastries and lucky for me, some were my all-time favorites 💖… Chocolate Éclairs, Mille-Feuille and Cream Puffs!
When it came to other pastries, my mother was buying 🛒 them directly from the pastry chefs at the boulangerie/bakery. I asked her once why she never attempted to make other pastries at home besides the ones mentioned above and her answer was – “They’re too challenging!” – and I’m sure they can be…
Baking cakes, cookies, cupcakes, muffins, and so on is one thing but when it comes to pastry, it’s a totally different story. It seems more complicated and more technical! To me, making pastries is like chemistry – a little too much or too little and you’re looking at a disaster 😫.
I’ve been baking 👩🍳 pastries for a while now but it’s not always obvious at first. A few that are not complicated to make in my book are definitely the Chocolate Éclairs, along with others like Profiteroles, Cannoli, Charlotte, Cinnamon Rolls, Baklava, Vol-au-vent, Pain au Chocolat, Pavlova, and more. Pop Tarts (toaster pastry) are also in this category… yes mom, they’re not that hard to make!
To go back to the Chocolate Éclairs, this incredibly scrumptious French pastry recipe is easy! After making pâte à choux, the rest is a piece of cake… or should I say pastry 🤔? Filled with a beautiful custard (crème pâtissière) and dipped in chocolate 🍫, these oblong pastries are sinfully delicious!
When you are having people over for dinner, how cool is it to say that these are “homemade”, right 😉? The only technique that I can suggest to you is to relax and take your time because quite frankly, this is not complicated at all. So go ahead and try these yummy Chocolate Éclairs…
Bon Appétit!🍽
P.S. If you decide to change the chocolate icing to caramel icing instead, they are called “Bâton de Jacob” in French…
Here are more decadent dessert recipes you just have to try…😀
– Pumpkin & Spice Cream Cheese Muffins
– Black Forest Cake
– Tiramisu
– Chocolate Lava Cake with Caramel
– Orange Flan
– Butterscotch Pudding
– Red Velvet Cake
and for even more dessert recipes 🍩🍰🧁, click on this link… Recipe Category • Dessert
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Chocolate Éclairs
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Ingredients
PÂTE à CHOUX aka CHOUX PASTRY
- 1/2 Pâte à Choux aka Choux Pastry recipe see Recipe
CUSTARD aka CRÈME PÂTISSIÈRE
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 2 large free-run egg yolks, beaten
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp. unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Directions
PÂTE à CHOUX aka CHOUX PASTRY
- Make 1/2 of the Pâte à Choux aka Choux Pastry recipe.
- When the pastry comes out from the oven, using a chop stick, pierce a hole at each end of them - this will help to let the steam escape.
- Let them cool off while making the custard.
CUSTARD aka CRÈME PÂTISSIÈRE
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, pour in milk and warm it up (do not boil).
- In another saucepan, combine egg yolks and sugar; whisk until blended. Add flour and stir.
- When the milk is warm, temper the eggs by carefully pouring a little into the egg mixture at first, whisking constantly. After a few additions, slowly pour in the remaining milk, whisking continuously.
- Turn the heat to medium and cook the custard for 3-4 minutes or until it thickens, stirring constantly.
- Remove from the heat and set aside to cool off. About 5 minutes later, add vanilla, stir and let it continue to cool.
- Place tip #3 or a long tip in a piping bag and spoon in the cooled custard.
- Inserting the tip in both ends, fill up the cooled Pâte à Choux aka Choux Pastry with custard.
- Place filled pastries in a plastic container, cover and transfer to the fridge for 10 minutes while making the chocolate glaze.
CHOCOLATE GLAZE
- In a double-boiler over medium heat, combine chocolate and butter.
- When melted, add sifted sugar, stir until somewhat combined before pouring in the milk; stir until smooth. Add vanilla, stir and remove from the heat.
- Transfer the chocolate to a rectangular container (preferably a microwave-safe glass container) and dip one pastry in at a time.
- Transfer the pastries back to the fridge for at least 10 minutes. Remove the pastries about 15 minutes before serving.
- If you prefer a thicker glaze, dip them a second time (you might have to use the microwave to melt the chocolate again).
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