Blog #6

Today's dessert of the day is Eclair's! Another dessert that I had the opportunity to try back in the summer of 2009, while I was in Europe. They are really yummy, and they can be found anywhere. Eclair's have become so popular that it can be found anywhere around the globe. Although the eclair's origins were from France back in the 19th century. The word "eclair's" translate into lightening, but the name seems to have no relation to the food. Food historians had said that the creator of eclair's was Antonin Careme, a famous French chef, also known as "The King of Chefs and the Chef of Kings." The first English written recipe for eclair's was first written in Boston Cooking School Book by Mrs. D.A Lincoln. 

The dessert has very simple ingredients but it's very complex to perfect. The dough is called choux dough, and it's very thin and fluffy. When making this dessert you have to create a puff where the inside of the dough is hollow. Once the dough is cooled off you would then pipe a custard, chocolate or coffee flavored cream, or whip cream into it. After you are done piping then it is covered in a fondant, typically a chocolate flavored fondant, but any flavored fondant is also great to use. With eating an eclair, it's very popular to pair it up with some coffee, or something to drink. And bon a petite, dessert is served, or maybe a snack.  

Chocolate Eclairs: 

Ingredients (for 20 eclairs):

Eclair Dough:
2/3 cup Milk
2/3 cup Water
4 oz. Butter
1 cup Flour
5 Eggs
2 tsp. Granulated Sugar
Pinch of Salt

Chocolate Cream Filling:
6 oz. Unsweetened Baking Chocolate
1 cup Milk
4 Egg Yolks
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
1/4 cup Flour

Chocolate Icing:
5 oz. Unsweetened Chocolate
2 oz. Butter
1/4 cup Water

How to Make It:
Eclair Dough:
Preheat oven to 425°F
1. In a pot, mix water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil.
2. Once butter has completely melted, take off flame, and slowly pour in flour, stirring constantly.
3. Put pot back on flame and continue to work it with a wooden spoon. Continue stirring and kneading with spoon until the dough dries out and stops sticking to the sides of the pot.
4. Take off flame. Add eggs, one at a time, stirring energetically.
5. Fill a baking sac with batter. Butter a baking sheet. Squeeze out "finger-sized eclairs" onto baking sheet, well-spaced.
6. Bake for 10 minutes. Then turn oven down to 385°F and bake another 10-12 minutes with the oven door open.
Voilà!

Chocolate Filling:
1. Melt chocolate (chopped) and milk in a pot, and bring to light boil, remove.
2. In a bowl, whisk yolks and sugar until it whitens.
3. Slowly add flour, stirring.
4. Slowly add chocolate and milk, stirring until homogenous.
5. Put back in pot, bring to light boil, stirring constantly, until cream thickens and becomes smooth.
6. When cream cools off (and eclairs have cooled off as well), you can begin filling the eclairs: Cut a small slit lengthwise, and then stuff with cream, using your baking sac or a small spoon.
Voilà!

Icing:
Almost done! Hang in there! Chocolate eclair recipes are well-worth the time they take!!!
1. Melt chocolate with water in a small pot over a low flame.
2. Once melted add butter, whisking the whole time. Should look shiny and creamy!
3. Remove from heat. Spread a thin layer on each eclair, using a spatula.
4. Wait until icing hardens a bit to serve it.
Voilà! And Bravo!

Tip:
Even if you are making fewer than 20 chocolate eclairs, make the full quantity of dough (it will prepare better!). You can always freeze what you don't use.

Recipe from: http://www.famousfrenchdesserts.com/chocolate-eclair-recipes.html

Information from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Éclair_(pastry)

Pictures from: http://ffoodd.tumblr.com/