Pastry Cream For Eclairs Food

CHOUX PASTRY (FOR CREAM PUFFS, ECLAIRS, ETC)

Steps:

• Chop butter, melt in water and just bring to boiling. Immediately add flour, and mix well with wooden spoon, until it forms a dough that leaves the side of the pan (it looks really gross and clumpy at first, but as you keep stirring it fixes itself). Remove from heat and cool 2 minutes.
• For a sweet pastry, add the sugar to the beaten eggs. Stir in the eggs, mixing until it look like dough again (this is gross at first too).
• Now you have many choices: using a pastry bag or spoon, shape the dough as desired (for puffs: use a spoon or pipe a mound, eclairs: pipe a line, rings: pipe a circle, profiteroles: pipe a mound w/star tip) onto a greased cookie sheet. Keep in mind that it will grow to aprox 3xs its size when done.
• Bake at 425 'til it looks crisp and golden, about 30 mins for half dollar sized puffs. Cut in half, or cut a slit in the side to let the steam escape- if you don't do this fairly quickly they get soggy inside.
• They save for a while in tupperware, unless they're filled. You are supposed to fill them with freshly whipped cream that has a touch of powdered sugar and vanilla or almond added in, but I just fill them with buttercream frosting because its cheaper and tastes pretty good too.

CHOCOLATE ECLAIRS

Steps:

• Filling: In a medium saucepan, heat the milk and vanilla bean to a boil over medium heat. Immediately turn off the heat and set aside to infuse for 15 minutes. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the cornstarch and whisk vigorously until no lumps remain. Whisk in 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture until incorporated. Whisk in the remaining hot milk mixture, reserving the saucepan. Pour the mixture through a strainer back into the saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and slowly boiling. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Let cool slightly. Cover with plastic wrap, lightly pressing the plastic against the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Chill at least 2 hours or until ready to serve. The custard can be made up to 24 hours in advance. Refrigerate until 1 hour before using.
• Pastry: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. In a large saucepan, bring the water, butter, salt and sugar to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. When it boils, immediately take the pan off the heat. Stirring with a wooden spoon, add all the flour at once and stir hard until all the flour is incorporated, 30 to 60 seconds. Return to the heat and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Scrape the mixture into a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or use a hand mixer). Mix at medium speed. With the mixer running, add 3 eggs, 1 egg at a time. Stop mixing after each addition to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix until the dough is smooth and glossy and the eggs are completely incorporated. The dough should be thick, but should fall slowly and steadily from the beaters when you lift them out of the bowl. If the dough is still clinging to the beaters, add the remaining 1 egg and mix until incorporated.
• Using a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip, pipe fat lengths of dough (about the size and shape of a jumbo hot dog) onto the lined baking sheet, leaving 2 inches of space between them. You should have 8 to 10 lengths.
• Egg Wash: In a bowl, whisk the egg and water together. Brush the surface of each eclair with the egg wash. Use your fingers to smooth out any bumps of points of dough that remain on the surface. Bake 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375 degrees and bake until puffed up and light golden brown, about 25 minutes more. Try not to open the oven door too often during the baking. Let cool on the baking sheet. Fit a medium-size plain pastry tip over your index finger and use it to make a hole in the end of each eclair (or just use your fingertip). Using a pastry bag fitted with a medium-size plain tip, gently pipe the custard into the eclairs, using only just enough to fill the inside (don't stuff them full).
• Glaze: In a small saucepan, heat the cream over medium heat just until it boils. Immediately turn off the heat. Put the chocolate in a medium bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Set aside and keep warm. The glaze can be made up to 48 hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use, and rewarm in a microwave or over hot water when ready to use.
• Dip the tops of the eclairs in the warm chocolate glaze and set on a sheet pan. Chill, uncovered, at least 1 hour to set the glaze. Serve chilled.

CREAM PUFFS OR ECLAIRS WITH VANILLA PASTRY CREAM

Steps:

• Make vanilla pastry cream:.
• In 2 quart saucepan, combine sugar, flour and salt; stir in milk.
• Over medium heat, cook, stirring until mixture thickens and boils, about 10 minutes.
• Boil 1 minute.
• In a small bowl with fork, beat 6 egg yolks slightly.
• Beat small amount of heated milk mixture into yolks.
• Slowly pour egg mixture back into milk mixture, stirring.
• Cook over medium low heat, stirring till mixture thickens and coats spoon well, about 8 minutes (do not boil).
• To check thickness, lift metal spoon from mixture and hold up 15 seconds - spoon should not show through mixture.
• Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.
• At this point I usually put this custard through a strainer to get out any lumpy cooked egg pieces.
• Cover surface with plastic wrap, and chill well, about 2 hours.
• When custard is cool, in a small bowl with mixer at medium speed, beat heavy/whipping cream till stiff peaks form.
• With a rubber spatula, gently fold whipped cream into custard.
• Puffs:.
• Spray 1 or 2 large cookie sheets with nonstick spray. Heat oven to 375.
• In 2 qt saucepan over medium heat, heat butter, water and salt till butter mixture boils.
• Remove from heat.
• Add flour all at once. With a wooden spoon, vigorously stir until mixture forms a ball and leaves sides of pan.
• Add eggs to the flour mixture, one at a time, beating well after each addition, till smooth.
• Cool mixture slightly.
• Using a large spoon and rubber spatula, drop batter onto cookie sheets int 12 large mounds, 3 inches apart, swirling the top of each.
• (for eclairs, instead of mounds, spread the choux paste into 5" by 3/4" rectangles).
• Bake 50 minutes (this is what the original recipe says - however, I NEVER bake them that long - more like 35 minutes - go by your own oven - if they're looking puffed and browned and dry, they're probably done).
• At this point, remove from oven, cut a small slit in the side of each puff and return to the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
• Turn off oven and let dry for 5-10 minutes (I don't usually do this and it doesn't seem to matter too much).
• When puffs are cool, slice top off of each - there will probably be some webby looking soft dough inside - carefully pull this out to make it hollow.
• Fill each shell with the chilled pastry cream.
• Replace top and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
• For Eclairs:.
• Go through the same process, but top with semisweet chocolate glaze: In saucepan, melt 2 squares semisweet chocolate and 2 T butter, stirring constantly (or heat briefly in the microwave to melt) Stir in 1 cup powdered sugar and 3 T milk till smooth.

CHOUX PASTRY- FOR PROFITEROLES, CREAM PUFFS OR ECLAIRS

Steps:

• Place the butter and the water in a saucepan. Bring the water to the boil and stir until the butter has melted. Remove from the stove.
• Stir in the sifted flour. Add the flour all at once. Beat until smoth.
• Return to the heat, and stir vigourously until the mixture leaves the sides of the saucepan and forms a smooth ball.
• Allow the mixture to cool slightly.
• Whisk the eggs well and then add them to the choux ball. Beat the eggs into the mixture.
• Use a piping bag to pipe 7-10 cm lengths for eclairs, or place in spoonfuls onto greased cookie trays for cream puffs or profiteroles or pipe into dotted shapes for uniformly shaped profiteroles.
• Bake in a hot oven - 220°C for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 200°C and continue to cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden and crisp.
• Turn the oven off.
• Remove from the oven and immediately make a small slit in the side of each puff to allow the steam to escape. Return to the oven for a few minutes to help dry them out. The oven has already been turned off.

ÉCLAIR

Steps:

• In a saucepan, heat water, salt, and butter. When the mixture boils, add the flour all at once and stir quickly. Keep stirring for five minutes. Leave the mixture to cool a bit and start adding eggs, one by one, mixing until incorporated after each addition.
• Transfer the mixture into a piping bag and start piping 4x0.5-inch (10x1.25 cm) oblong shapes onto a buttered baking pan, taking care there is a lot of space between each.
• Bake for 20 to 30 minutes at 350°F/180°C or until they are golden brown. When baked, leave to cool.
• Mix the cornstarch with a bit of cold milk. Bring the remaining milk to a boil, then stir in the cornstarch and milk mixture. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Whisk the eggs, then add the sugar and the thickened milk, and cook in a bain-marie for five minutes. Blend in the salt or butter, then, once cooled, flavor however desired; for example, vanilla, almonds, or lemon.
• Split the éclairs and fill with cream; top with vanilla or chocolate icing.

CLASSIC FRENCH CHOCOLATE ÉCLAIR RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425 F. Line two large rimmed baking sheets with parchment or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
• Combine the butter, water, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Stir the mixture until the butter melts and is incorporated into the water.
• Add the flour all at once, lower the heat to medium-low. Stir vigorously and continuously with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together in a ball, pulls away from the sides of the saucepan, and a thin film develops on the bottom of the pan, about 1 minute. Continue to stir the dough vigorously so the dough dries out a bit and moisture evaporates, another 2 1/2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat, transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Let cool, stirring occasionally on a low setting until the dough is only slightly warm to the touch. Beat in the eggs, one at a time on low speed until each one is well incorporated into the batter and the dough looks smooth before adding the next egg. Alternatively, use a wooden spoon, stirring vigorously and continuously after each egg is added.
• Spoon the choux pastry dough into a pastry bag fitted with a 5/8-inch star tip and pipe six 4-inch lengths onto each baking sheet.
• Bake one sheet at a time until the eclair shells are very puffed and just beginning to show slight color, 10 to 12 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375 F and continue to bake until the pastries are golden brown and dry-looking, 16 to 18 minutes more. The shells should sound hollow when lightly tapped.
• Remove them from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes before filling. Be sure to bring the oven back to 425 F before baking the second batch.
• Gather the ingredients.
• Warm the milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat until small bubbles appear on the surface.
• Meanwhile, in a medium heat-proof bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until pale yellow. Add the cornstarch and salt, whisking well to combine.
• In a thin stream, pour the hot milk into the yolk mixture while continuing to whisk constantly until well combined.
• Return the mixture to the saucepan, scraping the bowl clean with a silicone spatula. Over medium heat, cook while whisking constantly until it thickens to the consistency of a thick pudding, about 3 1/2 minutes. It may look lumpy as the pastry cream starts to thicken, but will smooth out as you continue to whisk.
• Transfer the pastry cream to a large clean bowl and whisk in the vanilla extract. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the fridge or over an ice bath until completely cooled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours or overnight.
• Gather the ingredients.
• Place the finely chopped chocolate in a heat-proof bowl and set aside.
• In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, heat the heavy cream until it's just beginning to boil. Remove from the heat immediately.
• Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and let sit for 1 minute. Stir the mixture until the all the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth.
• Set the chocolate glaze aside at room temperature, stirring occasionally until cool, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Poke three small even holes in the bottom of the eclair shells with a 3/16-inch wide plain pastry tip or Bismark tip. Whisk the cold pastry cream to lighten the texture. Fit a pastry bag with the pastry tip and fill with pastry cream, being sure not to overfill the bag.
• Pipe the cream into each hole until it starts to seep out of the top or you feel the pastry starting to get heavy (about 4 tablespoons of pastry cream per shell). Alternatively, slice the pastry shell in half lengthwise with a serrated knife and fill evenly with 4 tablespoons of the pastry cream.
• Gently spread 1 tablespoon of chocolate glaze onto the éclair or carefully dip the top of each filled éclair into the glaze (use this method only if you filled the shells from the bottom). Chill about 30 minutes to set the glaze before serving.

VANILLA PASTRY CREAM RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Heat the milk in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat just until it starts to steam.
• Separately, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in a large bowl. You're going to want to whisk really hard until the consistency is thick and creamy.
• Once the milk has just begun to steam, slowly pour about half of the milk into the egg mixture in a thin stream, while mixing vigorously. Leave the rest of the milk in the pan.
• Next, add the thickened egg mixture back into the pan with the rest of the milk. Again, whisk vigorously, for 2 to 3 minutes, while continuing to heat the mixture gently over medium heat, until the pastry cream is quite thick. But don't let it burn.
• Remove from heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla.
• To cool, transfer the pastry cream to a bowl, and then set that bowl inside a larger bowl filled with ice water. Cool like this for 30 minutes.
• Then refrigerate the pastry cream until it's fully chilled. About 4 hours in the fridge is best, but it will keep in the fridge for two to three days.

PASTRY CREAM (CRèME PâTISSIèRE)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the granulated sugar. Add in the flour, cornstarch, and salt, and whisk everything to combine. Whisk until the mixture is thick and appears to be a paler yellow than before.
• In a large saucepan, heat the milk until hot, but not simmering or boiling. Pour about 1/4 cup of the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking vigorously as you do. Add another 1/4 cup of hot milk and again whisk vigorously to combine. Gradually stream in the rest of the hot milk, whisking the egg mixture the entire time. Temporarily set this aside; rinse the saucepan under running water to get it clean again then dry the pan with a paper towel.
• Pour the entire mixture back into the saucepan and whisk over medium-low heat just until the mixture begins to thicken into a pudding-like consistency and appears to bubble.
• Add the vanilla into the mixture and whisk to combine. If your cream has any lumps in it, just keep whisking vigorously to smooth them out. If there are any stubborn lumps, you can force the cream through a sieve to separate the clumps from the pastry cream.
• Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and place a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the cream. Refrigerate the pastry cream until chilled. When ready to use, whisk the cream to loosen it up and pipe into your desired dessert.

PASTRY CREAM FOR ECLAIRS

Steps:

• Prepare an ice bath; set aside. In a medium bowl, combine egg yolks, egg, and 2 tablespoons sugar. Add cornstarch and flour; whisk until smooth and pale yellow. Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, combine milk and remaining 3/4 cup sugar. Stir over medium-high heat until milk begins to steam. Whisking constantly, add half the hot milk to the egg-yolk mixture. Stir until smooth; add combined mixture back to remaining hot milk in the pan. Bring mixture to a boil, whisking rapidly to prevent scorching. Remove from heat, and stir in butter and vanilla. Strain through a fine sieve into a medium bowl.
• Place over ice bath and let stand, stirring frequently, until cool. Remove from ice bath, and press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto surface until ready to use. If not using immediately, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

PASTRY CREAM

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan, stir together the milk and 1/4 cup of sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and egg. Stir together the remaining sugar and cornstarch; then stir them into the egg until smooth. When the milk comes to a boil, drizzle it into the bowl in a thin stream while mixing so that you do not cook the eggs. Return the mixture to the saucepan, and slowly bring to a boil, stirring constantly so the eggs don' t curdle or scorch on the bottom.
• When the mixture comes to a boil and thickens, remove from the heat. Stir in the butter and vanilla, mixing until the butter is completely blended in. Pour into a heat-proof container and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled before using.

ECLAIRS

Steps:

• START WITH THE DOUGH.
• Align the racks so the oven is divided into thirds. Preheat the oven to 375°F Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a heavy bottomed saucepan, bring the milk, water, butter, sugar, and salt to a boil.
• Add all of the flour at once, reduce heat to medium, and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon. The dough will come together quickly and may form a slight crust at the bottom of the pan, which is perfect. Stir for 2-3 minutes to dry out the dough. The dough should be very soft and smooth.
• Transfer the dough to a stand mixer (or I've mixed by hand just fine) with a paddle attachment and add the eggs one by one. If the dough separates after the first egg, don't worry, it should come back together by the time the third egg is incorporated. When all the eggs are incorporated, the dough should be thin and fall back to the bowl in a ribbon when lifted.
• Pour the dough into a piping bag and pipe onto baking sheets.
• Bake in oven for 7 minutes, then stick the handle of a wooden spoon in the door to keep it ajar. Bake for 5 more minutes, then rotate the pans top to bottom, back to front. Bake for approximately 8 more minutes (with the spoon in the door) until the eclairs are golden brown and puffy. Total baking time should be about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the pastry cream.
• FOR THE CHOCOLATE PASTRY CREAM.
• In a small saucepan, bring the milk to a boil. While the milk is coming to a boil, combine the yolks, sugar, and cornstarch together and whisk in a heavy bottom saucepan.
• Once the milk has reached a boil, temper the eggs by putting a little milk at a time into the egg mixture while whisking. Continue whisking and slowly pour the rest of the milk in the egg mixture.
• Strain the mixture back into the saucepan to remove any egg that may have scrambled. Place the pan over medium heat and whisk vigorously (without stop) until the mixture returns to a boil. Keep whisking vigorously for 1 to 2 more minutes (still over medium heat).Stir in the melted chocolate and then remove the pan from the heat.
• Scrape the pastry cream into a small bowl and set it in an ice‐water bath to stop the cooking process. Make sure to continue stirring the mixture at this point so that it remains smooth.
• Once the cream has reached a temperature of 140 F remove from the ice‐water bath and stir in the butter in three or four installments. Return the cream to the ice‐water bath to continue cooling, stirring occasionally, until it has completely cooled. The cream is now ready to use or store in the fridge.
• FOR THE VANILLA PASTRY CREAM.
• Bring milk, vanilla beans, and vanilla pod to a simmer.
• Meanwhile, combine the sugar, flour, and cornstarch in a bowl. Whisk until smooth and then add the yolks, whisking until lump-free.
• Remove the vanilla pod from the milk.
• Temper the egg mixture with the milk by pouring he milk little by little into the egg mixture while stirring to prevent scrambling.
• Once the egg mixture is tempered, return to the saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Boil for 1 minute, then remove from heat and stir in the butter. The cream is now ready to use or store in the fridge.
• FOR THE CHOCOLATE SAUCE.
• Place all the ingredients into a heavy‐bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil, making sure to stir constantly. Then reduce the heat to low and continue stirring with a wooden spoon until the sauce thickens.
• It may take 10‐15 minutes for the sauce to thicken, but you will know when it is done when it coats the back of your spoon.
• FOR THE CHOCOLATE GLAZE.
• In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a boil. Remove from the heat and slowly begin to add the chocolate, stirring with a wooden spoon or spatula.
• Stirring gently, stir in the butter, piece by piece followed by the chocolate sauce.
• TO ASSEMBLE THE ECLAIRS.
• Slice the éclairs horizontally, using a serrated knife. Set aside the bottoms and place the tops on a rack over a piece of parchment paper.
• The glaze should be barely warm to the touch (between 95 - 104 degrees F or 35 - 40 degrees C, as measured on an instant read thermometer). Spread the glaze over the tops of the éclairs using a metal icing spatula. Allow the tops to set and in the meantime fill the bottoms with the pastry cream.
• Pipe or spoon the pastry cream into the bottoms of the éclairs. Make sure you fill the bottoms with enough cream to mound above the pastry. Place the glazed tops onto the pastry cream and wriggle gently to settle them.
• Serve immediately.

ECLAIRS II

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Grease a cookie sheet.
• In a medium saucepan, combine 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, stirring until butter melts completely. 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. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well to incorporate completely after each addition. 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.
• Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce heat to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) and bake 20 minutes more, until hollow sounding when lightly tapped on the bottom. Cool completely on a wire rack.
• For the filling, combine pudding mix and milk in medium bowl according to package directions. 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. Fold whipped cream into pudding. Cut tops off of cooled pastry shells with a sharp knife. Fill shells with pudding mixture and replace tops.
• For the icing, melt the chocolate and 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir in 1 cup confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in hot water, one tablespoon at a time, until icing is smooth and has reached desired consistency. Remove from heat, cool slightly, and drizzle over filled eclairs. Refrigerate until serving.

THE PERFECT ECLAIR RECIPE (FOOLPROOF)

Steps:

• Sift flour then measure and set aside
• Place butter, water, milk, salt, and sugar into a saucepan over medium heat
• As soon as the mixture starts to boil remove from heat, add the flour in one go, and whisk vigorously with a Rubber spatula until it forms one smooth ball and flour bits are not visible
• Place the saucepan back to the stove and cook the dough for 3-5 min over medium heat mixing constantly. During this time water will evaporates from the dough and there should be a thin skin formed on the bottom up the saucepan
• Transfer the dough into the bowl of your Stand mixer and start whisking on low seead for a minute for the dough to cool a bit (use the paddle attachement)
• Start adding lightly whisked eggs onto the dough while the mixer is on. Only add a small amount of egg at a time and let the mixer incorporate the egg before adding in more. The dough will come together and should reach a glossy, pipeable consistency.
• The dough is ready when it slowly falls down from the paddle attachment in a V shape. Slowly is key here, it should not be too runny. Depending on how much you dried the dough at the previous cooking stage and the flour you use, the exact quantity of egg will need somewhat your judgement
• Move the dough into a pastry bag fitted with French star nozzle tip (0.5cm / 1.3cm in diameter) and rest the dough in the fridge for 1-2 hours
• Once the dough is rested, with the help of the French star nozzle tip pipe 14 equal size eclairs on Perforated "air" baking mat leaving enough space in between them as they will puff.
• Alternatively, cover a baking sheet with parchment paper, and pipe the choux dough onto the paper.
• Dust the piped dough with icing sugar, that also helps to avoid cracks. Place the tray into the freezer for 30 min at least before baking you can also freeze the dough at this point for a longer time
• Pre-heat oven to 200 C / 392 F (no fan)
• Lower oven temperature to 170 C / 338 F (no fan) and bake the eclairs for 40 min. Do not open the oven door in the first 30 min. If you are baking it the first time it is a good idea to take one eclair out of the oven at 40 min and check its consistency. If it is golden in colour, nicely puffed up, does not deflate on room temperature and the middle of the eclair is not raw (it is ok if it's a bit wet, it will dry while cooling down) then it is considered to be done
• Cool the eclairs on the perforated air mat
• Fill with chocolate or vanilla bean pastry cream. Use my recipes in here

ECLAIRS

Steps:

• First, make the choux pastry. Put the butter in a saucepan with 450ml water. Sieve the flour into a large bowl and set aside. Bring the butter and water to a fast boil, simmer until the butter has melted, then tip in the flour and beat like mad with a wooden spoon until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan and is lump-free. Tip into the bowl and spread the thick paste up the sides a little to help it cool quickly, then leave for 10 mins.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6 and cut two pieces of baking parchment to fit two baking sheets. Using a ruler and pen, mark 10 lines about 12cm long over each piece, leaving plenty of space between the lines, then flip the parchment over. Fit a piping bag with a large round piping nozzle, about 1.5cm wide.
• When the flour paste has cooled but is not cold, start adding the egg, bit by bit, beating well between each addition until you have a smooth batter which will reluctantly drop off the end of your spoon (you can do this in a freestanding mixer if you have one). You may not need to use all the egg, so add it slowly. Transfer to your piping bag and use a little of the mixture to stick the parchment to your trays.
• Pipe the choux onto the baking sheet, using the lines as a guide. Pipe slowly so the eclairs aren't too skinny - each one should be about 2.5cm wide x 12cm long. Bake for 35-40 mins, swapping the trays around for the final 10 mins. The choux should be puffed, golden and sound hollow when tapped. You may wish to sacrifice one eclair to make sure the inside is completely dried out - if it's still moist, the eclair will sink when cooling. Once baked, leave to cool completely. (Can be made a day ahead and stored in an airtight container, reheat in the oven for 5-10 mins to crisp up before filling.) Split each eclair through the middle with a serrated knife.
• Now, make the crème pâtissière. Pour the milk and cream into a saucepan. Heat until just simmering, then remove from the heat. Meanwhile, tip the egg yolks into a bowl and add the sugar and cornflour, whisking together until smooth. Pour over the milk mixture, mix, then pour back into the saucepan. Cook over a medium heat for 5-8 mins until the crème pâtissière thickens to a thick custard consistency. Sieve into a jug, cover the surface with cling film and chill for at least 3 hrs, or up to 3 days.
• To fill and glaze your eclairs, choose one of our flavours - raspberry & cardamom, lemon & passion fruit, salted caramel & popcorn or elderflower & meringue.For more help, see our how to make choux pastry and eclairs video.

ECLAIRS

Steps:

• For the choux pastry: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a large saucepot over medium-high heat, bring the butter, salt and water to a boil. Using a wooden spoon, add the flour in thirds, stirring it in as fast as possible. Smash any lumps against the side of the pot.
• Cook the mixture until the dough forms a ball that pulls away from the sides of the pot, about 2 minutes.
• Add the dough to the bowl of a stand mixer and let it sit and cool for 5 minutes. Beat on low for 1 minute to release steam. Add the eggs, one at a time, until the dough is smooth and pipeable yet still holds its shape.
• Add the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a large tip. Place 4 tiny dabs of dough in the corners of a large baking sheet, then tack down a piece of parchment on top. Pipe the dough into 5-inch lines about 2 inches apart from each other on the prepared baking sheet. Bake, rotating once halfway through, until deep golden brown and dry in the centers, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool.
• For the whipped cream: In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese with the sugar and vanilla seeds until smooth. Add the heavy cream and continue to beat until medium peaks form. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a medium round tip.
• For the chocolate glaze: Meanwhile, melt the chocolate over a double boiler. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter until completely melted. Whisk together the corn syrup and cocoa powder in a small bowl, then whisk into the chocolate mixture. Set aside until ready to use, but don't refrigerate.
• For the poured fondant glaze: Combine the confectioners' sugar, corn syrup and water in a bowl set over a double boiler. Heat, whisking, until smooth and uniform. Turn the heat off and let sit over the water bath until ready to use. Whisk again right before using.
• Insert the tip of the pastry bag with the whipped cream into the ends or bottoms of the eclairs to fill them. Dip filled eclairs into the glazes and place on a rack to set.

ROASTED BANANA CREAM ECLAIRS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• For the choux paste: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bring the water, milk, butter, sugar and salt to a simmer over medium heat in a medium saucepan, stirring with a wooden spoon. As soon as it comes to a boil, add the flour, stirring constantly, until the dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and let the dough cool for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Transfer to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed to allow the dough to cool, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, with the mixer on medium speed. When all the eggs have been incorporated, scrape the dough into a pastry bag fitted with your desired tip.
• Pipe the dough into 4 1/2-by-3/4-inch lengths on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 3 inches apart. You should end up with about 15 eclairs. With a damp fingertip, flatten any points. Bake until eclairs are deep golden brown and puffed, rotating the sheets halfway through, 22 to 25 minutes. They should be very light and crisp. Turn the oven off.
• Poke each eclair on either end with a toothpick to allow some steam to release. Return the eclairs to the oven, prop the door open a crack and allow them to dry out, about 15 minutes. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and allow the eclairs to cool completely.
• For the chocolate glaze: Meanwhile, bring the cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Remove from the heat and mix in the chocolate, cocoa powder and honey. Whisk until the chocolate has completely melted. Transfer to a medium bowl and allow the glaze to cool and thicken.
• For the pastry cream: Add the milk, vanilla bean and salt to a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch until thick, pale and smooth. Remove the vanilla bean pod from the hot milk and scrape the seeds into the milk, discarding the pod. Temper the hot milk into the egg mixture by slowly pouring it in while whisking constantly. When combined, pour back into the pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
• Stir continuously until thickened, then remove from the heat and mix in the butter and vanilla extract. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, then set a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour.
• For the caramelized bananas: When the pastry cream is almost ready, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat. Stir together the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl, then pour into an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Place the bananas cut-side down on the cinnamon sugar, coating them as much as you can. Using a paring knife or fork, poke the skin of the bananas a few times to allow steam to release. Bake until completely caramelized, 15 to 20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before gently flipping them over.
• Remove the bananas from their skins and discard the skins. Place the roasted bananas in a food processor and puree until smooth. Add the pastry cream and puree until smooth. Pour into a pastry bag fitted with a small metal tip.
• For the garnish: In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crispy. Add the peanuts and salt and toast together, about 1 minute. Transfer to a paper towel-lined sheet tray to drain any excess fat. When cooled slightly, roughly chop the mixture.
• To serve, poke a small hole in both ends of each eclair using a paring knife. Fill the eclairs from both ends with the banana pastry cream. Dip the tops in the chocolate glaze, allowing any excess to drip off. Lightly sprinkle with the bacon and peanut garnish.

VANILLA PASTRY CREAM RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a heat-safe container large enough to hold a medium saucepan, fill with about 1 to 2 inches of ice water.
• In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks until smooth. Gradually add milk, whisking constantly, until well blended.
• In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Stir with whisk to blend thoroughly. Whisk in about 1/2 cup of the milk mixture and stir until smooth. Gradually whisk in remaining milk mixture until thoroughly blended.
• Put pan over medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly, for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until mixture begins to thicken. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute, continuing to stir constantly.
• Immediately place pan in container with the ice water. Stir frequently as mixture cools. Stir in vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
• Press a sheet of plastic wrap onto surface of custard to prevent a skin from forming. Transfer bowl to refrigerator to chill thoroughly.

HOMEMADE ECLAIRS RECIPE

Steps:

• Combine water, butter, and a pinch of salt in a small pot. Place over medium heat.
• When the mixture comes to a boil, remove from the heat and add the flour all at once. Stir quickly to combine and form a dough.
• Return the pot to medium heat and continue stirring until a thin film develops on the bottom of the pot.
• Transfer mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer. Let cool for 10 minutes.
• Whisk eggs together in a small bowl. With the mixer running, add eggs a little at a time into the flour mixture. Wait until the egg is completely incorporated until adding the next amount.
• As you near the end of the eggs, check the consistency of the dough by lifting the paddle up from the choux pastry. The mixture should fall slowly and form a "V" shape. If it stays stuck to the paddle, add a little more egg and check again.
• Transfer the choux paste to a piping bag fitted with a French star tip. Pipe 3 inch eclairs onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
• Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 20 minutes. Lower the temperature to 325°F (160°C) and bake for another 10-20 minutes or until they are golden brown and feel hollow on the inside.
• After removing the choux from the oven, poke two holes in the bottom of each eclair and return to the tray upside down to allow steam to escape.
• Split a vanilla bean in half leaving the very top intact. Scrape the beans from each half of the pod and place in a small pot along with the whole bean.
• To the pot, add milk, first amount of sugar, and a pinch of salt. Place over medium-low heat.
• While the milk is heating up, add egg yolks, cornstarch and sugar to a heat proof bowl. Whisk to combine.
• When the milk comes to a simmer, remove from the heat. While whisking continuously, add a tablespoon at a time to the yolk mixture. Continue adding the hot milk a tablespoon at a time until half of the milk is added in with the yolks. Then transfer the yolk mixture into the pot with the remaining milk.
• Remove the vanilla bean pod and return the pot to medium heat. Whisk continuously until the cream thickens. Once it starts to bubble, cook for two more minutes. Remove from the heat and pass through a sieve.
• Add softened butter and whisk to combine. Lastly, plastic wrap up against the surface of the cream and refrigerate until cool and ready to use.
• Before using, stir with a spatula to loosen the cream.
• Chop dark chocolate into small pieces and place in a heat proof bowl.
• Pour heavy cream and a pinch of salt into a small pot. Place over medium heat.
• When the cream comes to a simmer, remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate. Let the mixture sit for two minutes undisturbed.
• After two minutes whisk to combine until the ganache is homogenous.
• Fit a piping bag with a round tip and fill with the pastry cream.
• Once the eclair shells are cooled, pipe the pastry cream into the two holes made to allow steam to escape.
• Dip the tops of the eclairs into the chocolate ganache, let the ganache drip off for a few seconds, and carefully place onto a baking tray lined with parchment or serving plate.

ÉCLAIRS

Steps:

• In a medium sauce pot over medium heat, combine the sugar, salt, and 3 cups of the milk, and bring up to a bubble. While the milk is heating up, combine the remaining 1/4 cup of milk with the cornstarch in a bowl and stir until completely dissolved. In another large bowl, break up the egg yolks and whisk them together.
• Using a whisk, add the cornstarch mixture to the simmering milk and stir continuously until thickened, about 2 minutes (it's OK if the mixture comes to a low boil).
• When the mixture has thickened, slowly add a couple ladlefuls of the hot liquid to the bowl with the egg yolks while whisking constantly. Add the egg yolk mixture back to the pot, return it to medium heat, and simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
• Transfer the mixture to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pushing the plastic down so that it covers the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• In a medium sauce pot over medium-high heat, combine 1 cup water, the butter, and salt. Heat until the butter has melted and the water is boiling.
• Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture begins to create a dough ball in the center of the pot and the dough is completely pulling away from the sides of the pan, about 2 minutes.
• Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. On low speed, add the eggs to the mixture one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl well after each addition and beating until the bowl feels cool (the mixture should be very smooth and silky).
• Transfer the mixture to a plastic food-storage bag and cut 1/2 inch off of one corner to create a pastry bag. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, pipe out about sixteen 4-inch-long lines of dough to make small éclairs. Leave about 2 inches of space between each éclair. Bake until golden brown and puffed, about 40 minutes.
• The pastries can be made a day or two ahead of time and kept in an airtight container at room temperature. If they feel soggy when you take them out, pop them into a 400°F oven for a couple of minutes until they crisp up again. Allow them to cool before filling.
• Place the chopped chocolate in a small to medium-size stainless-steel or glass mixing bowl and set aside. Heat the cream in a small sauce pot over medium heat and carefully bring to a boil. Be careful; the cream can burn quickly. Remove the cream from the heat and pour it over the chocolate in the bowl. Immediately start stirring to fully incorporate the chocolate. Stir until it is melted. Cool the chocolate slightly before using.
• To assemble the éclairs, give the pastry cream a stir and smooth it out, then transfer it to a plastic food-storage bag. Cut off about 1/4 inch from one corner to make a pastry bag.
• Using a chopstick or the tip of a pair of scissors, poke a hole in one end of each baked pastry. Squeeze the pastry cream into each opening, filling the pastries. To finish, spoon about 1 tablespoon of the warm icing across the top of each éclair or dip the top of each éclair in the icing. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. You may spread a simple chocolate frosting on top instead of the melted chocolate if you'd like.

PASTRY CREAM

Steps:

• Stir together the milk, salt, vanilla bean and seeds and 1/4 cup of the sugar in a medium saucepan until smooth. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the sugar has just dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the cornstarch, egg yolks and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a large bowl until smooth. While continually whisking, slowly pour in about 1/2 cup of the warm milk mixture. Continue to whisk until smooth. (This is called tempering, and it will prevent the yolks from scrambling.) Continue whisking and adding 1/2 cup of the warm milk mixture at a time until completely combined and smooth.
• Transfer the mixture back to the saucepan and turn the heat to medium. Cook, whisking constantly, until thickened and the texture of pudding, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat, then whisk in the butter until smooth and glossy. Remove the vanilla bean.
• Strain the pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly on the surface of the pastry cream, and refrigerate until chilled through, at least 2 hours and up to overnight. Before serving, whisk the pastry cream until smooth and fluffy.

PASTRY CREAM FOR ECLAIRS

Steps:

• Set aside a rimmed baking sheet for cooling pastry cream. In a medium bowl, combine egg yolks, egg, and 2 tablespoons sugar. Add cornstarch and flour; whisk until smooth and pale yellow. Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, combine milk and remaining 3/4 cup sugar. Stir over medium-high heat until milk begins to steam. Whisking constantly, add half the hot milk to the egg-yolk mixture. Stir until smooth; add combined mixture back to remaining hot milk in the pan. Bring mixture to a boil, whisking rapidly to prevent scorching. Remove from heat, and stir in butter and vanilla. Immediately transfer pastry cream to baking sheet, and spread into a thin layer with a large rubber spatula. Cover entire surface with plastic wrap, and transfer to the refrigerator until chilled, about 15 minutes.