Chocolate Eclairs

As a fellow Lankan, Eclairs are a famous 'short eat' savoured by every member of the family. Yet people find it rather a hard task to make it and thus they'd rather buy it from a pastry shop. You get all sorts of different flavours. Filled with cream, chocolate icing, fruits, coffee icing or any other weird concoction you can come up with. My dad absolutely loves them because he has the biggest sweet tooth and so my mum makes a super sweet icing filling because the chocolate ganache on top is not sweet enough for him. My friend Princess has been asking me to make eclairs and post on the blog so that she can do it herself. I finally got myself to make it because I was craving Lankan stuff. Mainly because I haven't been home in over a year! So I did. I made it. It came out pretty well I believe. Take a look for yourself.

Your Challenge: Make some Eclairs to feed your true Lankan soul.

 

        

           

Ready --- Steady --- Bake!

Chocolate Eclairs
(serves 10)

INGREDIENTS:

116g butter

240ml water

113g all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 eggs

1 (5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix

600ml cups cold milk

240ml heavy cream

50g confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate

2 tablespoons butter

113g confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons hot water or milk

METHOD:

1. Preheat oven to 230°C. Grease a cookie sheet.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine 116g butter and 240ml water. Bring to a boil, stirring until butter melts completely. 
3. Reduce heat to low, and add flour and salt. Stir vigorously until mixture leaves the sides of the pan and begins to form a stiff ball. Remove from heat. 
4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well to incorporate completely after each addition. 
5. With a spoon or a pastry bag fitted with a No. 10, or larger, tip, spoon or pipe dough onto cookie sheet in 1 1/2 x 4 inch strips.
6. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce heat to 165°C and bake 20 minutes more, until hollow sounding when lightly tapped on the bottom. Cool completely on a wire rack. (times depend on the oven)
7. For the filling, combine pudding mix and milk in medium bowl according to package directions. 
8. In a separate bowl, beat the cream with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Beat in 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
9.  Fold whipped cream into pudding mixture. 
10. Cut tops off of cooled pastry shells with a sharp knife. Fill shells with pudding mixture and replace tops. Alternatively, make a slit on the side of the Choux pastry with a scissor and fill.
11. For the chocolate coating, double boil the chocolate and 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over low heat.
12.  Stir in 113g confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in hot water or milk, one tablespoon at a time, until icing is smooth and has reached desired consistency. 
13. Remove from heat, cool slightly, and drizzle over filled eclairs. Refrigerate until serving. 

  Challenge Accepted ???

Enjoy!

Tosakanth