miniature chocolate eclairs

Miniature Chocolate Eclairs

These miniature eclairs are absolutely delicious any time of the year.
You may have some pastry cream leftover and you can eat it
just like a vanilla pudding. If you have any icing
leftover use it on graham crackers.

Pastry Cream

4 large egg yolks
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Choux Pastry

½ cup all-purpose flour
Pinch salt
½ cup water
¼ cup butter
2 large eggs

Chocolate Icing

1 tablespoon butter
1 ounce semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon whole milk
½ teaspoon vanilla

1. Pastry Cream: In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar. Whisk in the flour and cornstarch, then milk. Strain into a 3-quart saucepan, pressing any flour/egg mixture through the strainer with the back of a spoon. Whisk constantly over medium heat. The mixture may bubble and it should become harder to pull the whisk through the custard. When thick, remove from heat and whisk in vanilla. Pour into a small bowl and either refrigerate or put in freezer until chilled.

2. Choux Pastry: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Measure flour and salt into a small bowl. Bring water and butter to boil in a 2-quart saucepan until all butter melts. Immediately stir in all the flour with a wooden spoon. Stir until dough forms a ball. Spread out into the base of a large bowl to cool quickly. Let the dough cool 5 minutes.

3. Beat in one egg at a time. The easiest way to do this is to use the edge of the wooden spoon to "cut" the eggs into the dough. The mixture will be slippery at first but just keep stirring and cutting in until it becomes sticky. Stir vigorously at this point until well blended, repeat with second egg.

4. Take out a ziplock plastic bag and use a ruler to measure one inch across one of the corners. Use a scissors to cut along line. Now fill with pastry and pipe out 18-21 pastries. I pipe out six or seven pastries in a row three times on a normal baking sheet. Each pastry should be about 3 inches long.

5. Bake pastries in 400 degree oven for 10 minutes. Then lower temperature to 350 degrees and bake an additional 25 minutes.

6. When pastries are done set them on a cooling rack and use a scissors to cut each open all the way around so that they can be filled with pastry cream. Let cool completely first.

7. Chocolate Icing: In the meantime make the chocolate icing by melting butter and chocolate in the microwave for one minute. Stir well to blend the chocolate and butter then stir in confectioners' sugar. Once crumbly then add in milk and vanilla and stir until smooth.

8. Take out a ziplock bag and use a ruler to measure a half inch across one of the corners. Use a scissors to cut along line. Now fill with pastry cream and fill pastries so they are full but not overflowing. Replace tops and then ice carefully with chocolate icing.

9. Refrigerate until serving time. These are best enjoyed cold.

Makes 18-21 miniature eclairs

We would love to have you print this recipe for your own use.