Saint E-Clares
Okay, it’s really “eclairs,” we know. But these delicious desserts have the perfect name for the feast of St. Clare! It seems like a lot more work than just buying store bought eclairs. . .but wait until you taste them. It’s well-worth the effort to celebrate a great saint with her namesake dessert!
Ingredients
Ingredients for Choux Pastry:
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 8 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
Ingredients for Pastry Cream:
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 vanilla bean split length-wise and scraped, (or 2 tsp vanilla extract)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 pinch salt
- 4 large egg yolks
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter room temperature
For the Chocolate Glaze:
- 2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
Make Choux Pastry:
- In a medium saucepan, combine water, milk, butter, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat then remove from heat and stir in the flour all at once with a wooden spoon.
- Once the flour is incorporated, place back over medium heat about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes stirring constantly (to release extra moisture and partially cook flour), or until dough comes together into a smooth ball and a thin film forms on the bottom of the pan.
- Transfer to a large mixing bowl and beat using an electric hand mixer on medium speed for 1 minute to cool the mixture slightly.
- Add 4 eggs, one at a time, allowing each egg to fully incorporate between additions. Beat until dough is smooth and forms a thick ribbon when pulled up.
- Pipe eclairs over a baking sheet lined with silicone using a 1/2” round tip. Pipe 18-20 (4” long and 3/4” wide) strips, keeping them 1 1/2” apart.
- Bake at 425˚F for 10 minutes. Without opening the oven, reduce temp to 325˚F and bake for 30 minutes longer or until golden brown.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool while making pastry cream.
Make Pastry Cream:
- In a medium saucepan bring milk, vanilla bean and scraped seeds just to a boil, stirring to prevent film from forming.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together sugar, cornstarch and a pinch of salt. Add 4 egg yolks and whisk until smooth, creamy and lightened in color – it takes a couple of minutes but it will get there!
- Gradually (so the eggs don’t curdle), while whisking constantly, add hot milk in a steady stream until all of it is incorporated. Pour mixture back into the saucepan and bring to a boil while whisking constantly then whisk for another 30 seconds until mixture is thick and pudding-like in consistency.
- Transfer pastry cream to a medium bowl (whisk in vanilla extract, if you’d like). Cut butter into pieces and quickly whisk into the custard until fully incorporated.
- Cover with plastic directly over the surface of the cream, let it cool slightly, then refrigerate 30 minutes or until cool.
- With a small pastry tip, poke 2-3 holes through the bottom of each cooled pastry. Pipe cream inside, scraping off excess.
- Refrigerate eclairs while making chocolate glaze.
How to Make Chocolate Glaze:
- Place chocolate chips into a small heat-safe bowl.
- Heat heavy whipping cream (in a saucepan or microwave) until it is just at a simmer then remove from heat and pour over chocolate chips.
- Let rest 2 minutes then whisk from the center outwards until smooth sauce forms.
- Dip the top half of filled and chilled eclairs into the chocolate sauce, allowing excess to drip off.
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