October 08, 2012

Chantilly Éclairs with Salted Caramel Chocolate Glaze



I sometimes get nervous. Like, when I tweet/instagram telling you guys what I'm making for my blog but then two seconds later freak out and think-what if this recipe doesn't work? What if I have a culinary disaster? This thought occured to me today but luckily, everything went smoothly!
 
Choux pastry is a smooth, glossy, silky dough used for both éclairs and profiteroles. It relies on steam rather than a raising agent to make it rise. It is rich and delicious. It does take a little care to make but the greatest things in life need love and care. Oh baby, am I giving these éclairs a lot of love and care. 
 
I've got a few helpful hints for you when baking éclairs,  as pastry is a science:
  1. Weigh everything accurately, even the water.
  2. Allow the dough to cool before adding the eggs-you don't want scrambled eggs in your  pastry.
  3. Bake the éclairs for as long as the recipe specifies. You need to cook them until they are crisp as you will be filling and glazing them. They will be a deep golden-brown colour-don'worry, you need them like this. If you take them out before their time is up-they will be soggy and collapse. 
  4. Have fun and have faith in yourself, you can do this and when you do, deliciousness is at the other end!


I'm filling these éclairs with chantilly-cream that has been whipped with vanilla seeds and icing sugar-and I am glazing them with a salted caramel chocolate glaze. See, I told you I was showing them a lot of love! We've come this far with our éclairs, we may as well go a little OTT!  
Piping the éclairs into 1 inch x 5 inch rectangles means that you have an éclair that fits perfectly into your hand. What I mean to say is that, they are the perfect size so that you can eat two and not feel bad! 
 
I will insist on thing: you get good and messy when eating these!
 
Enjoy,
 
Holly, x


Melt butter, water, sugar and salt in a pot. Add the flour and beat until a dough forms that comes away from the side of the pot. 
 
Your guns (arms) will get a good work out!

 
Add the eggs to the cooled dough, one at a time, beating well. The dough will look as if it is not taking the eggs-just keep beating!! 
 
Pipe onto baking trays and bake. They really are beautiful once cooked.


As the éclairs are cooling, push the back of a spoon into them all the way to the end to create a tunnel for the chantilly!


Making the salted caramel chocolate glaze is easy-don't be put off! Cook the sugar and water to a dark, golden colour, remove from heat, whisk in cream, chocolate, butter and salt. 
 
See, caramel doesn't have to be scary!

Recipe, Makes 20. 
 
Adapted from Hungry Girl Por Vida

Choux Pastry
 
250g Cold Water
150g Unsalted Butter
2 Teaspoon Caster Sugar
Pinch Salt
155g Plain Flour, sieved
4 Eggs

Preheat oven to 190°C and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Cut the butter into small cubes.
Place the water, butter, salt and sugar into a medium sized pot.
Place over a medium heat until the butter is melted-DO NOT let the water boil.
Remove from the heat and add in the flour.
Beat the flour and melted butter/water together vigorously until the dough comes away from the side of the pot.
Allow to cool for 2 minutes.
Break the four eggs into a bowl and beat with a fork.
Begin beating the dough in the pot as you pour one egg in at a time until the mixture is smooth and silky. 
Make sure you add in the egg in four parts-it will appear that the eggs are not mixing in but keep beating you will eventually have a smooth, glossy dough.
 
Scoop the choux pastry into a piping bag fit with a 1 inch nozzle. If you don't have a piping bag-scoop the dough into the corner of a large freezer bag and snip off the corner.
Pipe the mixture onto lined baking sheets in 1 inch x 4-5 inch rectangles-1 inch apart.
Place in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes.
Turn off the oven and leave them in the hot oven for a further 5 minutes before removing and cooling on a wire rack. 
Use the back of a spoon and slide it into the rectangular éclair making a tunnel for the cream.
Allow the éclairs to cool completely before filling with chantilly cream and glazing. 
 
Chantilly Cream
 
500g Cream
1 Vanilla Pod, seeds scraped out or 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
2 Tablespoons Icing Sugar
 
Whip everything together in a bowl until stiff-do not over whip. 
Place in a piping back/freezer bag and snip of a small piece of the corner.
Shove the tip of the piping bag into the éclair where you have made the tunnel and pipe with cream.
Alternatively, you can cut the éclair in half lengthways and spoon on the cream.

Salted Caramel Chocolate Glaze
 
100g Granulated Sugar
60ml Cold Water
25g Unsalted Butter
100g Good Quality Dark Chocolate, chopped
125ml Double Cream
Generous Pinch of Salt
 
In a small saucepan heat the water and sugar until the sugar is dissolved-do not stir, only swirl the pan.If you stir, the sugar will crystallise-bad times.
Cook the sugar and water to a dark, golden colour.
Remove from heat, holding the handle with a tea towel wrapped hand, add the cream.
Whisk until smooth-be careful this will bubble and splutter. 
Add the chocolate and stir to melt it.
Stir in the butter-this gives the glaze a mirror like sheen and makes it fudgy-dreamy.
Add a generous pinch of salt.
Use warm.
Keeps in the fridge for up to 1 week in a lunch box. Melt in the microwave on 30 second blasts. (Amazing with vanilla ice-cream!)

Dip the chantilly filled éclairs into the glaze or spoon/spread it on. Just do it quickly so you can eat one already!!




4 comments:

  1. Yum, yum and yum. Do you have any spare left, as I'm not sure I would be able to bake these little wonders.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Raphaele! Ah of course you can make them! Look, if there's any left I'll bring one on Saturday-looking forward to meeting you!

      Delete
  2. these sound amazing! And quite simple to make, thanks for sharing this recipe.

    Simon

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thanks simon! my pleasure....they didn't last long!

      Delete