French Éclair 闪电泡芙

Technically speaking, the successful rate for making a chocolate eclair is ten times higher than making a French macaroon, it is by far my most satisfactory lab result. And it is FUN to make. Chocolate eclair consists three main components: 1) pate a choux/cream puff dough, 2) vanilla custard filling, 3) ganache. Pâte à choux is a mixture of simple elements: flour, water, butter, eggs, but the proper technique is essential.

Let's learn a little history about this French pastry. The éclair originated during the nineteenth century in France where it was called "pain à la duchesse"or "petite duchesse" until 1850.Marie Antonin Carême was a very well-known chef at the beginning of the 19th century. He was abandoned by his parents in Paris when he was only 8. By 14, he was already working in kitchens as a way to pay his room and board. What began as a necessary way of surviving quickly grew to become his passion.Marie Antonin Carême married his love of food and architecture by creating beautiful structural desserts such as the Charlotte and Napoleon cake. He is believed to be the creator of the French eclair.

(source: http://www.craftsy.com/blog/2014/03/french-eclairs/)

Without further ado, let’s all put on our lab coat and start the experiment:

Chocolate Eclair 闪电泡芙

Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 50 minutes Serving: 10~12

Ingredients Cream puff dough Flour/面粉 1 cup Butter/黄油 1/2 cup Water/水 1 cup Salt/盐 1/2 tsp Eggs/鸡蛋 4

Custard filling Milk/牛奶 2-1/4 cups Corn starch/玉米淀粉 1/4 cup Sugar/砂糖 1/4 cup Egg yolks/蛋黄 4 Vanilla bean/香草荚 1 Salt/盐 1 pinch Ganache: Semisweet Chocolate/巧克力丁 6 oz Heavy whipping cream/动物性奶油 1/4 cup

Instructions: 1. Preheat the oven to 425 F/220 C Making the pate a choux/cream puff dough

2. Combine water, butter, and salt in a large saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium heat, remove from heat and sift flour into the mixture and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the dough becomes smooth and eventually pull away from the sides of the pot. 3. Turn the heat back on over medium heat and cook, stirring it constantly for 2 minutes, scrape the dough into a large bowl

4. Cool the dough slightly before you add the eggs, with a wooden spoon, add the egg one at a time and stir until the dough is well incorporated. 5. Fill the disposable piping bag that has a large round tip and pipe out 6 inch logs with a few inches apart from the baking sheet.

6. Brush the top of eclairs with some water and bake them for 10 minutes, reduce the temperature to 350F/180C and continue baking them for additional 20~25 minutes until light golden brown. As soon as they come out of the oven, use a barbecue stick to make a little hole at the end of each side so the steam can escape, allow it cool completely. Making the custard filling

7. Cut the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds from the bean, add all the custard ingredients into a saucepan and combine them altogether, place the custard over medium heat and cook it, stirring the mixture the whole time until the custard starts to thicken. 8. Remove from heat and place the custard into a large bowl, cover the custard with plastic wrap, be sure the plastic wrap touch the surface of the custard. Place it in the fridge and let it cool completely. Making the Ganache 9. Over a medium heat, heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until just below boiling point. 10. Pour the heated cream over the chocolate chips and let sit for 1 minute then whisk until the chocolate melts completely.

Let’s Put Everything Together, Finally!

11. When ready to assemble, using a piping bag fitted with a medium size round tip, and fill each shell with the custard, Dip the top into the melted chocolate. 12. Transfer them to a rack set over a baking sheet, refrigerate until the glaze firms, then serve.

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Enjoy your hard work ~

~Photos by Hypatia’s FoodLab~