Last Thursday, I turned another year older! I really wanted to make my own birthday cake, but was too busy catching up on school work for my midterms this week, I didn`t get a chance. It's okay, I much prefer an ice cream cake over a regular cake any day. Plus, my roommates got me an ice cream pie from a nearby homemade ice cream parlor. It was delicious! Hehe.
Today, I`m posting about éclairs! I made them a few months ago but didn`t get a chance to post about them.
Honestly, I`ve been holding off on this post because I wasn`t quite sure what to write about them. Well, I do. But, I hesitated because it`s related to a personal problem. This is my food blog, after all, so it should only pertain to food. After days of contemplating, I decided it`s relevant to mention it quickly. :)
The slogan of this blog is "food for those we love." I definitely made these éclairs with one person in mind: for my boyfriend. He loves chocolate and whenever I made cream puffs, he would ask me to make éclairs since he loves the chocolate on top. I`ve always kept him in mind whenever I decided to bake anything, since he was my first taste tester. Recently, we broke up and I`m going through my first heartbreak (I`m still young!). Thus, I lost my baking mojo for a bit and didn`t feel like blogging as I recuperate.
Since, this does affect the blog's content slightly, I felt it was necessary to mention. This also makes me closer to you, because you get to know me on a more personally level! :) I`m feeling much better now and I`ve been itching to bake!
Enjoy these~ I thought these were great and always ate a few in one sitting! Make them for Valentine's Day, or make them for your friends. They`ll definitely enjoy these eclairs.
(photo credit author)
ALSO, if any of you are interested in super foods...I think you`ll like what I`m about to say! Charles James, contacted me recently to let you all know about his book! This one! Superfoods Power, Volume 1: Weight Loss. He`s offering it up for FREE until the end of the month! If any of you would want a copy, just mention it to me and I`ll email you a copy! :)
Éclairs
with Chocolate Glaze
From Taste of Home Baking + glaze slightly adapted from Bakers Royale
Yields: ~ 2 dozen small éclairs|
Level: Medium | Total Time: ~ 3 hours | Print Recipe
Ingredients:
Dough:
§
1
cup water
§
1/2
cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
§
1
teaspoon granulated sugar
§
1/4
teaspoon salt
§
1
cup all purpose flour
§
4
eggs
Custard:
§
1/3
cup granulated sugar
§
3
tablespoons cornstarch
§
2
1/2 cups whole milk
§
2
egg yolks
§
1
tablespoon unsalted butter
§
1
1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Chocolate Glaze:
§
1/2
cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
§
3
tablespoons heavy cream
§
3
tablespoons powdered sugar, shifted
§
4-5
tablespoons water
|
Materials
Needed:
-
1-2
baking sheets
-
parchment
paper
-
cooling
rack
-
3
wooden spoons
-
2
medium sized saucepan
-
1
pastry bag/large sandwich bag
-
scissors
-
1
tall cup
-
1
small saucepan
-
1
medium size bowl
-
1
heat-proof bowl
-
1
fine mesh
|
Directions:
Dough:
1.
Preheat
oven to 400°F.
2.
In
a medium saucepan, over medium heat, add the water, butter, sugar, and salt.
Let it boil.
3.
Add
flour to saucepan.
4.
Using
a wooden spoon, stir it around as the dough pulls away from the pot and forms a
ball.
5.
Remove
saucepan from heat and cool for 5 minutes.
6.
Next,
add the eggs, one by one and mixing well in between each egg. The dough will be
smooth and shiny.
7.
Place
pastry bag in cup and fold edges over the top of the cup.
8.
Spoon
dough into pastry bag. Snip the tip off the bag.
9.
Pipe
dough onto baking sheets. (I made mine about 3 inches long by 1 inch in width.)
10. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until
golden.
11. Allow to cool enough to touch.
12. Split éclairs in half and allow
them to cool completely.
Custard:
13. In a medium size bowl, add the
egg yolks. Set aside until step 18.
14. In a small saucepan, add sugar
and cornstarch.
15. Gradually add milk, stirring
until smooth.
16. On medium heat, boil the mixture
until bubbly.
17. Lower the heat to low and
continue to stir for about 2 minutes.
18. Pour about half the milk mixture
into the bowl with the egg yolk, while whisking the egg yolks.
19. Transfer everything back into the
saucepan and bring to a boil, constantly stirring.
20. Cook for another 2 minutes.
21. Remove pan from heat and add in
the butter and vanilla extract.
22. Allow to cool and fill éclairs
before serving.
Chocolate Glaze:
23. In a heat proof safe bowl that's placed
over a pot of simmering water, melt chocolate and heavy cream (do not stir, let
it melt for a few minutes before slowly stirring).
24. Stir to combine.
25. Add powdered sugar and stir to combine.
26. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a
time, mixing in between until it reaches your desired pouring consistency. (I
used 5 tablespoons of water).
27. Allow glaze to cool slightly before
spooning on top of éclairs before serving.
