The pastry is a recipe from Cookshelf Chocolate by Jacqueline Bellefontaine. (I bought this book on clearance at Michael's for $1.00...and it was a killer deal, I've found so many good recipes!)
Pastry
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup strong, all purpose flour, sifted
2 eggs
Lightly grease a cookie sheet (I actually like to use parchment paper, and spray it with cooking spray). Place the water in a saucepan, add the butter, and heat gently until the butter melts. Bring to a rolling boil, then remove the pan from the heat. Add the flour all at once, beating constantly until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan and forms a ball. Cool slightly (about 5 minutes) then gradually beat in the eggs to form a smooth, glossy mixture. Spoon the mixture into a large pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 inch plain tip (I used the Wilton 1A).
Sprinkle the cookie sheet with a little water. Pipe eclairs 3 inches long, spaced well apart.
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| From June 2011 |
Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees F for 20-30 minutes, or until crisp and golden. Make a small slit in each one to let the steam escape. Cool on a rack.
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| From June 2011 |
The filling is my own concoction...devised from a passing comment from a nurse I used to work with who was also a baker. It is 1/2 whipped cream and 1/2 Bavarian Cream. I don't have a recipe I like for Bavarian Cream, so I buy tubes at Orson Gygy in Salt Lake.
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| From June 2011 |
Whip your cream first, to desired sweetness (I use 1 cup sugar to every cup cream).
Then I fold the two mixtures together with a spatula til it is mostly mixed...
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| From June 2011 |
Then I beat it together in the mixer until fully combined. (that way, the whipped cream doesn't get over beaten).
Slice the pastries open, and pipe in filling (I use a disposable pastry bag and my Wilton 1A tip)
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| From June 2011 |
(I need to get better at taking pictures while working)
Then they look like this...
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| From June 2011 |
Chocolate Glaze
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa (Ghiardelli is my favorite)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Melt the butter with the milk in a pan over low heat. Remove from the heat, and stir in cocoa and powdered sugar. Let cool about 5 minutes. Then, spoon over the tops of the eclairs.
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| From June 2011 |
These were DEVOURED at work. I really thought they turned out yummy, but sometimes the best compliment is when there's nothing left.
1 comment:
They were divine! My husband counted how many were on the plate. When he went back, he found that two were missing and thought the kids took them. For some reason he thought they were "Ours." He gave me a dirty look for eating them without his permission.
I told him in my defense jokingly: "Hey, she's my friend, that means they're mine. If you want your own maybe you should become friends with Cole!" :)
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