Eclairs
Choux pastry: We start by preparing a perfect dough for éclairs. In a saucepan, we place water, oil, and salt over medium heat. When the mixture starts to boil, we let it simmer for a few seconds to ensure that the salt and oil are well integrated. We remove the saucepan from the heat and add all the flour at once, mixing vigorously with a whisk. It is important to mix until a homogeneous composition is obtained, without lumps. After homogenizing the dough, we let it cool slightly, then add the eggs one by one, mixing well after each addition so that they integrate perfectly into the dough. When we finish adding the eggs, we transfer the dough to a pastry syringe (piping bag) and form éclairs on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, making sure to leave space between them to prevent sticking during baking. We preheat the oven to a medium to high temperature, around 190-200 degrees Celsius, and place the tray inside. We bake for about 25 minutes until the éclairs are nicely browned and fluffy.
Cream: In a double-bottomed pot, we bring the milk to a boil together with a pinch of salt. Meanwhile, in another bowl, we beat the egg yolks with the sugar until they become a creamy, light-colored mixture. We add the flour and mix well to avoid lumps. When the milk starts to boil, we carefully pour the egg yolk mixture over the hot milk, stirring vigorously. We let it simmer on low heat, stirring constantly, until the cream thickens to a consistency similar to that of sour cream. Once the cream is ready, we remove it from the heat and add the vanilla essence, vanilla sugar, and butter, mixing well to achieve a smooth composition. We cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the cream cool completely.
Whipped cream filling: In a saucepan, we place the liquid cream over low heat. We add the chocolate broken into pieces and stir until the chocolate completely melts into the cream, bringing the mixture close to boiling point. We remove it from the heat and mix well, then let it cool. After it has cooled, we place the mixture in the freezer for 10-15 minutes, then whip it until it becomes fluffy and airy.
Decoration: We prepare a delicious glaze by melting the cream in a saucepan, then adding the broken chocolate, stirring continuously until we obtain a smooth and shiny composition.
Assembly: We cut the éclairs lengthwise, being careful not to completely separate them. Using the pastry syringe (piping bag), we fill each éclair with the prepared cream, followed by a generous layer of whipped cream. On top, we decorate the éclairs with the melted chocolate in cream, giving them an elegant and appetizing appearance. These éclairs filled with cream and whipped cream will surely bring smiles to the faces of everyone who tastes them!
Ingredients: For the éclair shells: 2 cups flour (250 ml cup) 1 1/2 cups water 1 cup oil 7 eggs a pinch of salt Cream: 1 liter milk 125 g butter 200 g sugar 6 egg yolks 6 tablespoons flour 2 packets vanilla sugar 1 essence of vanilla a pinch of salt Whipped cream filling: 500 ml liquid cream 100 g white chocolate Decoration: 100 g chocolate 50% cocoa 50 ml liquid cream
