Classic Chocolate Glazed Éclair

Do you love pastries?  My family is definitely a huge fan of pastries!  We love all sorts of pastries, ranging from doughnuts, cupcakes, to scones and cookies.  However, among all these pastries, éclairs is probably on top of our list of favorite pastries. 



This classic éclair recipe consists of the basic Choux Pastry, which is similar to the cream puff shells.  I filled them with the decadent classic vanilla bean pastry cream.  The pastry cream is slightly sweetened so that you can truly taste the sweet aroma of the vanilla bean.  I then top these éclairs with a simple dark chocolate glaze that brings a hint of bitterness to compliment the pastry cream beautifully.   You can also use milk chocolate for the glaze as well if that’s what you prefer.  My kids love dark chocolate (I guess that runs in the family), so that’s pretty much my default preference. 




I love that you can see all the little specks of vanilla bean seeds throughout the pastry cream inside (see picture below).  Isn’t it gorgeous?  I’m telling you, they tasted even more amazing than their look!  If you haven’t done so, please check out the video tutorial at the top of the post.  It’s definitely easier to prepare than they look!  I’ll list the ingredients and tools used in this recipe at the end of the post for your convenience.


 
I hope you enjoy today’s recipe and tutorial.  Stay tuned for more fun and scrumptious recipe next week!


Ingredients and Tools used:
Vanilla Bean Paste (Click here for more information)
Organic Vanilla Extract (Click here for more information)
Horizon Organic Heavy Whipping Cream (Click here for more information)
Kerrygold Butter (Click here for more information)
Corn Starch (Click here for more information)
Pastry Bag  (Click here for more information)
Ateco Large Round Pastry Tip (Click here for more information)
Cooling Racks (Click here for more information)
Baking Sheets (Click here for more information)
Silpat (Click here for more information)
Measuring Cup (Click here for more information) 

 
Classic Chocolate Glazed Éclair 
Makes: 14

Ingredients for the Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream:
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon Vanilla Bean Paste
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
a pinch of Kosher salt
1 teaspoon Grand Marnier

Ingredients for the Choux Pastry:
1 cup all-purpose flour
7-ounce water
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 stick (4 ounce) unsalted butter
4 eggs

Ingredients for the Chocolate Glaze:
4 oz dark chocolate, finely chopped
2 tablespoon salted butter

To prepare the pastry cream:
In a large heat proof bowl, whisk together the egg yolks with sugar until slightly pale. Then, whisk in the cornstarch until fully incorporated.

In a medium saucepan, bring the milk to a simmer. Pour about half of the hot milk over the egg yolks mixture while whisking. Then, pour the egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan over the milk. Cook the pastry cream until thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes on low heat.

Pass the pastry cream through a fine mesh to remove any lumps. Stir in vanilla paste until well combined. Then, stir in butter, salt, and Grand Marnier until well incorporated. Let pastry cream cool slightly. Cover with plastic wrap, and gently press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pastry cream to prevent forming of skin. Refrigerate until ready to use. 

To prepare the Choux Pastry:
Preheat oven to 400F degree.

In a medium saucepan, bring water, sugar, salt and butter to a boil. Remove from heat and add flour all at once. Stir with a wooden spoon until a dough forms together.

Return the saucepan over low heat and cook for 2 more minutes while stirring constantly. Then, stir in the eggs one at a time.

Fit a pastry bag with a large 3/4-inch round tip and pipe the dough into 5-inch long strips on a
silpat (or parchment paper) lined baking sheet. Make sure to pipe them 2 inches apart.

Bake at 400F degree for 10 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 325F and bake for another 25 to 28 minutes, or until the edges and bottom are golden brown.

Remove eclairs from the oven, gently cut a slit on the side of the pastry to release some steam. Cool completely on wiring rack.

To Prepare the Chocolate Glaze:
Place chocolate in a heat proof bowl. Heat in the microwave with 20 seconds intervals, stop and stir after each round of heating, until chocolate is just melted. Then, stir in butter and let cool slightly.

To Assemble:
Poke 3 holes on the bottom of each eclair with a small pastry tip. Place a small round tip in a pastry bag and fill with prepared pastry cream. Fill the cooled eclairs by piping cream into the each hole.

Dip the top of the eclair into the chocolate glaze and place back on the wiring rack and allow it to set. Repeat with the rest.

Note: Eclairs are best eaten the day they are made but they keep quite well in the refrigerator overnight.