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Éclairs Recipe

Recipe video above. While éclairs in the wonderful world of French pastries are made with custard hidden inside, éclairs as we know them here in Australia are split and generously filled with whipped cream. A neat trick for a great éclair cream filling is adding mascarpone. It adds structure so the cream doesn’t completely squirt out when you take a bite (because don’t you just hate that!?), as well as improving storage quality. And as for the choux pastry? It’s light-as-air and beautifully crisp, something you rarely see with store-bought éclairs!

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan). Position one shelf in the top third of the oven and another in the lower third. Lightly spray 3 trays with canola oil and line with baking/parchment paper.
2. Choux pastry:
   • Simmer liquid – Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When the butter is almost melted, add water.
   • Flour – Once the liquid starts simmering, add flour and salt, and vigorously stir with a wooden spoon (while still on the stove). The mixture will turn pasty then in about 10 seconds it will transform into a sticky ball of dough that comes away from the walls of the saucepan. Once this happens, remove from the stove and leave to cool for 10 minutes (no longer).
   • Eggs – Add eggs one at a time, mixing vigorously with a wooden spoon after each addition, making sure each egg is incorporated before adding the next. At first, the mixture will look separated but when you keep stirring, it comes together. When finished the mixture should be a sticky, thick paste that holds its shape, not sloppy and loose.
   • Pipe – Transfer mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 15 mm star tip. Pipe logs 12-14 cm long, 2.5 cm wide, 1.5 cm tall, 5 cm apart from each other. Do not crowd the tray else they won’t go crispy. You should get around 20.
3. Bake:
   • Bake 2 trays on the shelves for 45 minutes. At the 30-minute mark, open the oven door for 2 seconds to release steam (makes them crispier), then again at 35 minutes and 40 minutes. Remove the tray at 45 minutes.
   • Cool – Remove choux buns from the oven and allow to fully cool on the trays. If you used 3 trays, bake the 3rd tray of choux pastry per above directions.
   • Split – Slice choux buns in half horizontally.
4. Shiny chocolate glaze:
   • Place chocolate in a bowl.
   • Pour over hot cream – Heat cream and glucose in a small saucepan over medium heat until just below boiling. Pour mixture over chocolate, shake so the chocolate is submerged. Let stand for 1 minute.
   • Mix with a rubber spatula until smooth (do not use a whisk, it creates bubbles). Transfer into a wide, shallow bowl large enough to dip the eclairs.
5. Assemble:
   • Coat éclairs – Dip the lid of each éclair into the chocolate. Place on a tray and refrigerate for 30 minutes until the chocolate is firm to the touch.
   • Whip cream – Place all the Chantilly Cream ingredients in a bowl. Whip using an electric beater on medium-high for 3 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Transfer into piping bag fitted with a star tip.
   • Fill éclairs – Pipe in cream using whatever pattern takes your fancy, generously thick. Place the lid on, then serve!