Spicy Triple Chocolate Eclairs |
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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 200 Minutes |
Ready In: 200 Minutes Servings: 14 |
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Adapted from the January 2010 edition of Canadian Living. For the choux paste it's nearly impossible to get accurate volumetric measures so I defaulted to weight for the butter, flour and cocoa. Normally you would use unsalted butter in pastry, but with the bitter chocolate and spice in the cream it really heightens the richness. Ingredients:
1/2 cup water |
1/2 cup milk |
2.5 oz salted butter |
1 tbsp sugar |
2.5 oz flour |
1 oz cocoa powder, sifted |
3 eggs |
chocolate spice filling |
4 egg yolks |
1/3 cup sugar |
1/4 cup cornstarch |
1 1/4 cups evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed) - one 10-oz can |
1/2 cup 18% cream (aka table cream ) |
3/4 tsp allspice |
1/4 tsp cracked pink peppercorns |
4 oz bittersweet (minimum 65% cocoa) chocolate, chopped |
3 tbsp salted butter, cubed (salt is especially important here!) |
glaze |
2 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped |
2 tbsp salted butter |
1 tsp corn syrup |
1 tsp honey |
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Bring water, milk, butter and sugar to a boil in a heavy-bottomed pot.
3. Turn heat to medium-low, and With wooden spoon, beat in flour and cocoa until the dough balls . Cook, stirring, for 1 minute longer
4. Transfer to stand mixer (easiest!) or a cool bowl. Beat for 30-40 seconds (either with the paddle attachment or a wooden spoon) to cool slightly.
5. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until dough is smooth and shiny.
6. Scape mixture into a large piping bag without a tip.
7. Pipe into 14 logs about 1 apart on parchment or silicone lined baking sheets.
8. Bake 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 375°F and bake 10-12 minutes longer.
9. Turn off the oven and allow the puffs to sit inside for 25 minutes.
10. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
11. Pastry Cream:
12. In a large bowl, beat together egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch.
13. Whisk in 1/4 cup evaporated milk.
14. In a pot, heat remaining milk, cream, allspice and pepper until barely simmering.
15. Whisk in chocolate until melted.
16. Whisk one ladleful of the hot milk into the beaten egg yolk mixture.
17. Pour the yolks back into the pot and cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, 5 minutes (until thick).
18. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter until smooth and glossy.
19. Scrape into a cold bowl and cover with plastic wrap directly on surface (avoids a skin forming) and refrigerate 2 hours.
20. Glaze:
21. Melt together chocolate, butter, corn syrup and honey in a double boiler or in the microwave until smooth.
22. Keep bowl warm while dipping eclairs.
23. Push a chopstick into one end of each éclair, almost through to the other end, to make a tube for the filling.
24. Using a piping bag with a Bismarck tube or a 1/4 plain tip, pipe chocolate cream into each, being careful not to overfill.
25. Dip tops of each eclair into chocolate glaze.
26. Let stand 20 minutes, until set.
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