This bite size eclair is a delicious choice for any party. Some planning ahead is necessary though. A pastry cream filling will delight and impress any crowd though any custard can be used. Alternatively a simple wiped cream or your favorite ice cream can be used in place of the cream. Try them all.....you can't go wrong.
Ingredients
Choux:
2 large eggs plus 1 large egg white
5 table spoons unsalted butter.
6 tablespoons water
2 table spoons whole milk
1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
¼ teaspoon of salt
½ cup (2-1/2 ounces of sifted unbleached all-purpose flour
Prepare a large 18 x 12 baking sheet with a layer of parchment paper.
Beat eggs and egg white in a small bowl.
Pour mixed eggs in to ½ cup. Discard extra and set aside.
Place butter, water, milk, sugar and salt into a sauce pan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Stir occasionally.
After butter has melted and mixture has reached a full boil, remove from heat and stir in flour.
Return sauce pan to low heat heat. Stir the mixture constantly with a mashing or smearing motion pressing mixture into the sides and bottom of the sauce pan.
Mixture is done when it is slightly shiny and has the appearance of a wet sand. Small beads of fat will appear on the bottom of the pan. You can also check for doneness with a candy thermometer. Temperature should be between 175 - 180 degrees.
Transfer mixture to a food processor and let cool slightly, approximately 10 seconds.
Turn on food processor and add eggs to mixture with a gradual constant steady stream.
Once all the eggs are in continue to process for 30 second. Mixture will resemble a thick, sticky smooth paste.
(Mixture can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 hours.)
Place choux mixture in to pastry bag with a wide ½ inch plain tip
Hold pastry bag straight up and squeeze out and approximately 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 ball. Stop squeezing bag and pull straight up. Choux mixture will look like a chocolate kiss.
Space small balls or "kiss's" approximately 1-1/2 to 2 inches apart.
Once bag is empty or baking sheet is full, fill a small bowl with water. Dip a spoon into the water and use the back side of the wet spoon to smooth out the "kiss" into a uniform ball. The choux mixture is very sticky so you will need to re-wet the spoon frequently.
Place baking sheet into heated oven. Bake for 15 Minuets.
After 15 min reduce temperature to 375 and continue to bake for another 8 - 10 min.
Do not open oven durring baking! This will cause the choux to collapse and all will be lost.
Choux is done baking once they are golden yellow or beginning to turn brown.
Turn off oven.
With out taking the puffs all the way out of the oven, poke a small hole into the sides or top of each baked puff with a parring knife to let out steam and moisture. Dry the puffs in the oven with the door slightly propped open with a wooden spoon or some heat proof object. Make sure the oven is turned off! Leave puffs in warm oven for 45 min
Pastry Cream Filling:
Whisk together egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch in a bowl. Set aside.
Place butter and vanilla into a large bowl. Set aside.
Warm milk a in a sauce pan over medium low heat. Milk will begin bubble around the sides.
Remove milk from heat and slowly pour into egg/sugar mixture whisking constantly until complete blended.
Return to medium low heat. Continue to constantly whisk until mixture begins to boil and thickens. this will take approximately 4 min. Do not let mixture boil!
Remove from heat and pour cream through a fine mesh sieve into bowl with butter and vanilla.
Stir until butter is melted and cream is smooth.
Cover cream with plastic wrap and poke a few holes into the wrap with a sharp knife. Make sure the plastic wrap is press into the cream. Directly pressing the wrap into the cream will prevent it from hardening and forming a later of hard skin.
Let cream cool completely to a chill in refrigerator. This will take at minimum 2 hours.
Makes about 1-1/2 cups.
Chocolate Glazing:
Place chocolate and butter in to top pan of a double boiler. (Ad corn syrup if using)
Fill bottom pan of double boiler with water.
Place top pan into bottom pan and place over med high heat.
Heat until chocolate and butter have completely melted. Stir often.
Remove from heat and let cool before using.
Makes about 1-1/2 cups.
Bring It All Together:
Put a small pointed tip onto a pastry bag and fill with Pastry Cream.
Pierce the side or top of a Puff with the pastry bag and squeeze cream into the inside of the puff. (Use the hole made for drying puff in oven). Fill all the puffs with pastry cream.
Dip the top half of cream filled puff into Chocolate Glazing.
Arrange on serving plate and enjoy!
Notes
Bite-Sized Eclairs with Silky Chocolate Glaze can prepared ahead of time. The choux (puffs) can be stored in a paper bag at room temperature for up to 24 hours. Puffs can also be stored in a zip lock freezer bag and in a freezer for up to one month. If the puffs have become a little soft (especially after storage in freezer) the can be reheated to make crispy again. Heat an oven to 300 degrees and place puffs on baking sheet in the oven for 5-8 min or until they have reached desired crispiness.
Pastry cream can be stored in refrigerator for up to two days.
Chocolate Glaze can be stored in air tight container in refrigerator for up to two days. Re-heat chocolate glaze in double boiler when you are ready to use.
Alternatively the Bite-Sized Eclairs can be completely assemble and stored in refrigerator for up to two days or in zip locked freezer bag in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. The puffs will be soft and there is no way to re-heat them to make crispy once completely assembled thought. Frozen Bite Size Eclairs will need to thaw for about 1-1/2 hours before serving.
Recipe by Table for Fifty at https://tableforfifty.com/bite-sized-elcair-with-silky-chocolate-glaze/