Eclairs

Instructions

Prepare custard:

• Heat milk in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat until small bubbles appear around edge.
• Beat egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl about 3 minutes, until pale yellow and thick. Beat in flour. Gradually beat in hot milk. Pour mixture back into saucepan. Cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until mixture comes to boiling and thickens. Lower heat; cook, stirring, 2 minutes or until very thick (mixture will be lumpy at first, but lumps will disappear). Remove from heat.
• Stir in butter and vanilla until butter is melted.
• Place waxed paper directly on surface. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Meanwhile, prepare dough:

• Heat water, butter, sugar and salt in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat to a full, rolling boil.
• Add flour all at once; stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until mixture forms a thick, smooth ball that leaves sides of the pan clean, about 1 minute. Continue to cook, stirring, another 2 minutes.
• Remove saucepan from heat. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition with a wooden spoon until dough is shiny and smooth, about 30 seconds.
• Heat oven to 425°
• Attach a large plain tip to a pastry bag); spoon dough into bag. Press dough out onto ungreased baking sheets, making 12 strips, each 4 or 5 inches long and 1 inch wide; space strips 1 1/2 inches apart. Or use a spoon to shape dough into strips.
• Bake in heated 425° oven 35 minutes or until dough is puffed and golden brown. Turn oven off; let puffs sit in oven, with door slightly ajar, 10 minutes.
• Transfer puffs to wire a rack to cool completely.
• When puffs are cooled and custard is gelled, fit a pastry bag with a small plain tip and fill with custard. (If chilled custard mixture is too stiff, stir in 2 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream or milk, 1 tablespoon at a time.)
• Make a small hole in one end of each puff with tip of a knife. Press filling through hole into each puff. Or split puffs lengthwise, spoon filling in, and replace tops.

Prepare glaze:

• Place chocolate, butter and water in top of a double boiler over barely simmering, not boiling, water; stir until chocolate and butter are melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Spread warm glaze over eclairs. Let stand until glaze is firm.
• If desired, melt white chocolate in same manner and drizzle over tops.
• Makes 12 eclairs

Please Note: Nutritional values listed may vary from final results depending on actual measurements and brands used to prepare the recipe.