Chocolate Eclairs
INGREDIENTS
Crackers
40 g (1/4 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour
40 g (3 tbsp.) brown sugar
30 ml (2 tbsp.) unsalted butter, softened
Light cream
105 g (1/2 cup) sugar
30 g (3 tbsp.) unbleached all-purpose flour
20 ml (4 tsp.) cornstarch
1 egg
1 egg yolk
375 ml (1 1/2 cups) milk
5 ml (1 tsp.) vanilla extract
125 ml (1/2 cup) 35% cream
Choux pastry
60 ml (1/4 cup) water
60 ml (1/4 cup) milk
40 g (3 tbsp.) unsalted butter
5 ml (1 teaspoon) sugar
1 pinch of salt
75 g (1/2 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 eggs
Chocolate fondant
6 oz (170 g) dark chocolate (50%-60% cocoa), chopped
15 ml (1 tbsp.) vegetable oil
PREPARATION
Crackers
In a bowl, mix all the ingredients until the dough is smooth.
Between two sheets of parchment paper, roll out the dough to 3 mm (1/8 in) thickness.
Freeze for 30 minutes.
Remove paper from top.
Using a knife, cut out 6 rectangles of 14 x 3.5 cm (5 1/2 x 1 1/4 in.) from the dough.
Set aside in freezer to assemble later
Light cream
In a small saucepan off the heat, whisk together the sugar, flour and cornstarch.
Add the egg and egg yolk.
Mix well.
Stir in milk and vanilla.
Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom and sides of the pan until thickened. Remove from heat.
In a sieve over a bowl, strain the custard to remove lumps.
Cover the surface directly with plastic wrap.
Let cool, refrigerate for 3 hours or just until completely chilled.
When ready to use the custard, mix it with a spatula to make it more pliable.
In a separate bowl, whip the cream until it be stiff peaks.
Using a whisk, fold the whipped cream into the custard.
Refrigerate the light cream until the éclairs are ready to be assembled.
Choux pastry
Meanwhile, bring the water, milk, butter, sugar and salt to the boil in a saucepan.
Remove the pan from the heat.
Add all the flour ,stir with a wooden spoon until the dough forms a smooth ball that pulls away from the sides.
Return the pan to medium heat and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until the dough dries out.
This step is crucial to the success of the choux recipe.
A thin film will form on the bottom of the pan as the dough dries , Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer.
Using a wooden spoon or the flat whisk, beat in the eggs, one at a time, stirring well between each addition, until the batter is smooth.
Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F) , Place the rack in the centre of the oven.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Transfer the choux pastry to a pastry bag fitted with a 2-cm (3/4-inch) plain tip.
On the baking sheet, slowly shape the dough into cylinders about 14 cm (5 1/2 inches) long and 2 cm (3/4 inch) wide, spacing them out.
Place cracker rectangles on top of dough cylinders without crushing them.
Bake for 5 minutes.
Reduce oven to 180°C (350°F) and continue baking for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool completely on a wire rack.
Freeze at this stage, if desired.
Using the round handle of a wooden spoon, pierce the éclair from one end to the other (see note).
Using a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip, fill each éclair with light cream through the holes.
Chocolate fondant
In a bowl large enough to dip the eclairs in, melt the chocolate in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds.
Whisk in oil.
Quickly dip tops of eclairs into fondant, rotating as needed.
Refrigerate 30 minutes before serving.