Chocolate Eclairs

For Easter dinner I was assigned to make 2 desserts, so I decided on a chocolate cheesecake and a banana cream pie. Saturday I made the cheesecake, then the pie, and at the last minute I thought, chocolate cheesecake isn't a very Eastery dessert so I made these eclairs. Just before we left for dinner, I cut a slice of the pie and the custard poured right out. It didn't set. I was not happy, but I was really glad I made these eclairs because they turned out great and I got rave reviews! 

I am going to share the eclairs today and later in the week the cheesecake. And when I make that silly pie again, hopefully I can figure out the problem, and share that with you too because for the mess that it was, it sure tasted good.

These eclairs aren't difficult to make at all. They do take some time but are worth the result!

Pastry

Recipe Adapted From: FoodNetwork.com

1 cup Water

1/2 cup Butter

1/2 teaspoon Salt

2 teaspoons Sugar

1 cup Flour

4 Eggs

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. 

2. In a large saucepan, bring the water, butter, salt and sugar to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. When it boils, take the pan off the heat. Stirring with a spoon, add the flour and stir hard until all the flour is incorporated. Return to the heat and cook, stirring constantly for 30 seconds.

3. Scrape the mixture into a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or you can use a hand mixer. Mix at medium speed. With the mixer running, add the 4 eggs, 1 at a time. Stop mixing after each addition and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix until the eggs are completely incorporated. The dough will be thick, but should fall slowly from the beaters when you lift them out of the bowl.

4. Use a Ziploc bag and cut a hole in the corner, pipe fat lengths of dough approx. 4" by 1 1/2" onto the lined baking sheet, leave about 2 inches of space between them. Use your fingers to smooth out any bumps of dough that remain on the surface. Bake for 35 minutes. Don't open the oven door too often during baking. Let cool on the baking sheet. 

5. Fit a medium-size plain pastry tip over your index finger and use it to make a hole in the end of each eclair (or you can just use your fingertip). Using a pastry bag fitted with a medium-size tip, gently pipe the custard into the eclairs, using only just enough to fill the inside, don’t stuff them full.

Vanilla Pudding

Recipe Source: BarbaraBakes.com

3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
1/3 cup Flour
1/4 teaspoon Salt
2 cups Whole Milk
3 Egg Yolks, beaten
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 1/4 teaspoons Vanilla

1. In a saucepan combine the sugar, flour and salt. Gently stir in the milk. Cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture starts to boil. Cook for 2 minutes.

2. Remove saucepan from burner. Stir in a third of the hot mixture into the beaten egg yolks, and immediately add egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan. Cook for 2 more minutes on medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla. 

3. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap placing it directly on the pudding so a film doesn't develop. Refrigerate until well chilled, about 3 hours.

Pastry Cream

Recipe Source: BarbaraBakes.com

Vanilla Pudding (above)
1/2 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

When the vanilla pudding is chilled, whip the cream to form soft peaks and gently fold it into the vanilla pudding. Keep covered and refrigerated until ready to use.

Chocolate Frosting

Recipe Source: Taste of Home

2 oz Semisweet Chocolate

2 Tablespoons Butter

1 1/4 cups Powdered Sugar

3 Tablespoons Hot Water

Melt chocolate and butter in the microwave, stir until smooth. Stir in sugar and add water to make it smooth. Dip eclairs in chocolate.

I linked this recipe at  
Full Plate Thursday 
Made it on Monday
Sweets for a Saturday

Vanilla Cupcakes & a Giveaway!

Cake Week, day 7 of 7: I haven't ever made a vanilla cupcake or chocolate cream cheese frosting before. I was a little nervous that the cake might come out thick and dry but it didn't. It was really light and delicious, just the way I like my cupcakes. The frosting was really good. Its not too chocolaty and the cream cheese makes it not too sweet. Such a good combination!

And for the giveaway... Since we have had a week of cakes, the giveaway had to be something to do with cakes, so I decided on this book...

Its such a fun book and it gives you something else to do with your cakes after you bake them. All you have to do to enter to win is:

1. Follow the blog and leave a comment saying you do.

2. 'Like' us on our Facebook page and leave a comment on the blog saying you 'liked' us 

3. Or do both, leave separate comments so you get 2 entries!

*The giveaway will end on Tuesday April 12th at midnight. 

Now lets get to the recipes!

Vanilla Cupcake

Recipe Source: bestcupcakerecipes.blogspot.com

1 1/2 cups of Flour
1/2 cup of Butter, room temperature
1 cup of Sugar
1/2 heaping Tablespoon Baking Powder
2 large Eggs
1/4 cup Whole Milk
1/4 cup Plain Yogurt

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake pan with cupcake liners.

2. In a large bowl mix together flour, sugar, and baking powder. Sift twice. With an electric mixer on medium speed, add butter 1 Tablespoon at a time.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, yogurt and vanilla extract. Add to the dry ingredients and beat until just combined. Do not overbeat!

4. Fill lined cupcake tins approx. 2/3 full. Bake for about 15-20 minutes. Start checking at 15 minutes. Don't over bake or they will be dry.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe Source: FoodNetwork.com

1/4 cup Butter, softened
4 oz Cream Cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar, sifted
2 oz Semisweet Chocolate, melted
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Beat the butter and cream cheese until creamy. Add powdered sugar slowly, while mixing in melted chocolate and vanilla extract.