Eclairs + Pastry Cream + Chocolate = YUM

These are the eclairs we made in our cooking class the other day.  I am sure it is obvious by now that I like to read lots of cookbooks, websites, newspapers, and magazines.  I am constantly on the hunt to introduce a new seasoning, ingredient, texture and taste to my family.  This goes for both sweet and savory dishes.

Sometimes, I have to learn to stick to what works.  Put that recipe in my binder and write a note on it, something to the effect of this is the perfect recipe.  I should have done that with the choux paste I made a while back.

I was a little disappointed in this particular recipe.  I have made choux paste in the past (see this post) and it was perfectly delicious.  The recipe was from Sherry Yard's Desserts by the Yard.  The pastry puffed up perfectly and didn't taste at all egg.  Sometimes, this kind of pastry can taste very eggy.  Hers did not.

This choux paste was from Tartine and although the Tartine cookbook is my go-to, no-fail book, these are not going to be on my list of favorites.  On the other hand, her pastry cream was silky, smooth and creamy and the chocolate glaze did not disappoint either.  Two out of three isn't bad!

The girls seemed perfectly happy with them.  I am a tougher critic.  The fun part of the whole eclair adventure was doing them together.  Get a bunch of people in one room, give them a pastry bag and the energy instantly changes!

ingredients:


choux paste
1/2 cup non fat milk
1/2 cup water
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
5 large eggs
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp


pastry cream
2 cups whole milk
1/2 vanilla bean, split
1/4 tsp. salt
3 Tbls. cornstarch
1/2 cup + 1 Tbls. sugar
2 large eggs
4 Tbls. unsalted butter


Chocolate glaze
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate
1 tsp. light corn syrup
1/2 cup heavy cream


directions:


Choux paste

preheat oven to 425*.   Line baking sheets with parchment

• In a heavy saucepan combine the milk, water, salt, sugar, & butter & place over med heat until the butter melts and the mixture comes to a full boil.  Add all the flour, stirring vigorously.  Keep stirring until it forms a smooth mass and pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 3 minutes.

• transfer the mixture to a standing mixer w/paddle attachment.  add the eggs, one at  a time and beat on medium high speed.  it should be thick, smooth & shiny.  

• transfer mixture to a pastry bag fitted with #6 or 7 tip.  Pipe out 5” long logs, spacing 2” apart.

• bake until puffed about 10 minutes.  reduce oven temp to 375*, until they feel hollow, about 12 minutes.  they should be nicely browned all over.

•let cool on racks.  they should be used immediately or tightly wrapped and frozen (up to 3 weeks)

pastry cream

have a bowl ready for cooling the pastry cream with a fine-mesh sieve resting on top.

• pour the milk into a heavy saucepan.  split the vanilla bean half length wise and use the tip of a sharp knife to scrape the seeds from the pod halves into the milk.  add the salt, place over medium high heat, and bring to just under  a boil, stirring occasionally.  

•meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, whisk  the cornstarch & sugar.  add the eggs and whisk until smooth

• when the milk is ready, slowly ladle about 1/3 of the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly.  pour the egg mixture back into the  hot milk and continue to whisk over medium heat until the custard is thick like whipped cream.  this must come to a boiling point but don’t let it curdle.  

• remove from heat and pour through the sieve into the bowl.  let cool 10 minutes, stirring occasionally

• cut the butter into 1 tablespoon pieces.  when the pastry cream reaches 140*, whisk in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time.

• to cool, cover with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly onto the cream.  

• pastry cream will keep well covered for 5 days in the fridge

chocolate glaze

combine the chocolate & the corn syrup in a heatproof bowl.  Bring the cream to just under a boil in a small saucepan.  pour the cream over the chocolate, wait about 2 minutes and then stir gently with a rubber spatula, until smooth and shiny

• let cool until just warm

to assemble

stir the pastry cream (must be very cold) and spoon it into a pastry bag.  Punch a hole in each end of the pastry shell and fill 1/2 way on each side.  fill until they feel heavy

dip each filled eclair into the glaze, shaking gently to allow the excess to drip off and then place upright on a wire rack.  allow to set.

can be refrigerated for up to 6 hours.  they should be eaten the same day

Doughnuts-All Kinds!

This was a fun day! And these doughnuts are yum-o-licious!

I have been wanting to make doughnuts for forever, but was a little hesitant. I committed myself to making doughnuts for my friend, Jillian's birthday in two weeks. Jillian is turning 11 and wants me to help her with a cooking party. As the theme is going to be "Mexican", she had mentioned wanting a churro for dessert. We came up with the next best thing, doughnuts. I wanted to do a trial run. I couldn't walk into that party not knowing whether these were going to be good enough.

Whenever one is using yeast, one has to remember that it is a lot easier than it appears. One just has to be able to play the waiting game. That is exactly why I picked a cloudy, fall-like day.

I trust Sherry Yard, and that is exactly why I chose to make her doughnuts from Desserts by the Yard. I may have overcooked a few of them, but with that said, they were really good. Fried dough...can't really go wrong! The recipe says to eat within two hours of making them. I wasn't going to make my family eat 18 doughnuts (however, if they had their way, they would have gladly done so). Instead we packed them up and went door to door. We put a few smiles on our neighbors faces!

The winner of the doughnut challenge was...the glaze! Eli wants to make these again, however make them all glazed. I kind of don't blame him.

ingredients:

1/2 oz fresh yeast or 2 tsp. active dry yeast
1 cup milk, heated to lukewarm (80*)
4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup buttermilk
1tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1tsp grated lemon zest
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 oz unsalted butter, softened
vegetable oil for frying

directions:

In the bowl of a standing mixer, whisk the yeast and 1/2 cup of the milk until the yeast has dissolved. Let stand 5 minutes, then stir in 1 tbls. of the sugar and 1/2 cup of the flour, forming a thin batter. Cover this sponge with plastic wrap and let rest at room temp for 20-30 minutes, until bubbles form.

Reheat the remaining 1/2 cup milk to lukewarm. Stir the warm milk, buttermilk, nutmeg, lemon zest and teh remaining 1/4 cup plus 1 tsp sugar into the sponge. Place the remaining 3 1/2 cups flour and the salt on the top of the sponge. Put the bowl on the mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed for 2 minutes or until the dough comes together. Scrape down the bowl and the paddle and change to the dough hook. Increase the speed to medium and knead the dough for 5 minutes.

Turn the speed down and add the softened butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides. Mix for 5 minutes or until the dough comes together and is smooth. Scrape the dough from the sides of the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set it aside to rise at room temperature until doubled in volume, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Line two 12 x 17 inch half sheet pans with parchment and lightly dust with flour. When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a flat surface, dusted with flour and roll it out to a 10" square with a thickness of 1/2". Wrap the dough in plastic and put in freezer for 20-30 minutes. Using a 2 1/2" doughnut cutter, cut out the doughnuts and the holes. Dip the cutter in flour each time. Place doughnuts and holes on the sheet pans. Cover with lightly sprayed plastic wrap and let rise 30 minutes.

In a deep heavy skillet (I used my Le Creuset), heat 3" of oil over medium heat to 350*. Carefully slide 4 doughnuts at a time into the hot oil. Brown on one side, then the other, using a slotted spoon to flip. Drain them on paper towels.

Toppings:

1. Cinnamon sugar - 1 cup sugar mixed with 1 1/2 Tbls. cinnamon. Coat these right away when doughnuts are still a little wet.

2. Chocolate - melt 4 oz. of bittersweet chocolate with 4 oz. unsalted butter in a bowl over simmering water.

2. Glaze - 2 cups of powdered sugar mixed with 1/4 cup milk and 1 tsp. vanilla.

Eat these right away!