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The March 2003
Recipe of the Month
Chocolate Éclairs for Spring
Make these smaller éclairs any time for a festive tea-time treat or elegant dessert. Don't be disconcerted by the several steps and ingredients...these go together very easily!!!! The recipe comes to us from Ms. Eganie, from
Mountain View, California.
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Ingredients
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Éclairs (can be halved)
- 1/2 cup margarine or butter
- 1 cup flour, sifted
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (can omit if using salted margarine or butter)
- 1 cup water, boiling, in saucepan
- 4 eggs, room temperature
Cream filling (can be halved)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 3/4 cup boiling milk, then cooled to very hot, in saucepan (skim top if needed)
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
Chocolate sauce (can be halved)
- 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
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Directions
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For the Éclairs
- Place the butter into the boiling water, return pan to stove and stir while the water is hot.
- Add the salt (if using) to the flour, then add all the flour to the boiling water and stir rapidly until butter/water/flour becomes smooth and makes a nice ball, pulling away from pan. Remove from heat. Do not overcook.
- Cool mixture for several minutes so that the eggs will not cook as they are added. When cooler (but still warm), add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg is added. The mixture should be smooth.
- Pipe or shape éclairs onto greased cookie sheets, using about a Tablespoon of batter for each, leaving room for them to expand (about 2 inches for theses smaller éclairs, 3 inches if making larger éclairs).
- Bake in 400 degree oven for 30-35 minutes for smaller éclairs, 35-40 minutes if making larger ones. They should be puffed and golden.
- Cool completely. Slice off tops, making pretty much equal top and bottom halves. Add cream filling (see below), replace tops, drizzle with the chocolate sauce (see below).
(A quick shortcut: fill with chocolate ice cream, French vanilla ice cream, or coconut ice cream, then drizzle with the chocolate sauce. --Ed.)
- You may wish to refrigerate for a few hours (not much more) before serving, to ensure melding the puffs with the cream filling.
For the cream filling
- Gradually beat the sugar into the egg yolks and continue beating for two to three minutes until the mixture is pale yellow and forms a ribbon when the spoon is lifted.
- Gradually add the hot milk, very carefully, in tiny steady amounts, to the yolk mixture, while beating.
- Pour the mixture back into the saucepan, set over medium-low heat, and stir to make a thickened custard, being careful not to overheat. It should coat the spoon in a nice, light, creamy layer.
- Remove from heat, beat the sauce to thicken it a bit, then cool.
For the chocolate sauce
- In a saucepan, over medium heat (no hotter) melt the butter and evaporated milk with the chocolate.
- Stir to make smooth, adding the sugar, then keep stirring and add the vanilla. If it "seizes" return to heat and add a bit of butter, stirring smooth again.
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Makes 12 éclairs or cream puffs (recipe can be halved easily)
Enjoy!
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