Some of my earliest memories are with my grandparents and cousins. Specifically, I can remember going to Chuck E. Cheese’s‎ with my dad’s mom and two of my younger cousins what seemed like every Saturday. However, I distinctly remember the most amazing eclairs that same grandmother would make around Christmas time. So, when I was told that I was in charge of the dessert, which included mini eclairs, for my culinary competition, I was ecstatic and immediately thought of my grandma.

After the competition on Wednesday, March 2, I found myself missing making eclairs and reminiscing on the time I spent with her before she died. I thought to myself, ‘Why not share these memories?’

While this isn’t my grandma’s recipe, these eclairs are melt-in-your-mouth amazing.

Chocolate Eclairs

Start to finish: 2 hours

Servings: 1 dozen

Here’s what you need:

For the choux pastry:

1 cup flour

½ cup milk

½ cup water

2 teaspoons sugar

½ teaspoon salt

5 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter

4 eggs

For the vanilla pastry cream:

2 cups milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 egg yolks

⅓ cup sugar

⅓ cup cornstarch

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

For the chocolate glaze:

7 ounces dark chocolate, cut in smaller pieces

⅔ cup whipping cream

Here’s the fun part:

Prepare the pastry cream to have it ready by the time the eclairs are baked by whisking the egg yolks with sugar until slightly pale. Mix in the cornstarch.

Pour the milk into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Pour about a third of the hot milk over the egg yolks mixture. Pour the whole mixture into the saucepan over the milk. Bring to a boil while stirring and thicken.

Keep enough over heat to cook all the cornstarch. Add vanilla extract and mix.

Pour the cream into a clean bowl and allow to cool for 10 minutes, then incorporate the butter while stirring. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the pastry cream to prevent forming a skin on the surface. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Begin the choux pastry by sifting the flour.

In a saucepan, bring the milk, water, sugar, salt and butter to a boil.

Remove from heat and add flour all at once. Incorporate it by mixing energetically with a wooden spoon until homogenous.
Return the saucepan over low heat, and, while stirring, cook for a minute or two to pull out the moisture from the batter and until it pulls away from the sides of the pan. You will see some of the batter stick to the bottom of the pan.

Transfer batter to a large bowl and allow to cool slightly. Add the eggs one at a time, carefully incorporating each into the butter using the wooden spoon or even a stand mixer. It will result in a smooth batter which still holds it’s shape.

Fit a pastry bag with a large ½-inch round or star tip and pipe the dough into 4-5 inch strips on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

Dust with powder sugar and bake for 40 minutes. After the first 10 minutes, open the oven door slightly, about ⅛ inch, to let the steam escape. Bake for the rest of 30 minutes with the oven door slightly ajar, until golden.

Remove eclairs from the oven, prick each with a skewer to release steam and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Poke 3 holes in the base of each eclair using a ¼-inch plain or star tip. Fill the cooled eclairs by piping cream into the holes.

In a small saucepan, place cream over medium-low heat for a few minutes to get it hot. No boiling or simmering needed. Remove from heat, pour over chopped chocolate and let rest for 1-2 minutes. Stir until dissolved.

Dip the tops of the eclairs into the chocolate and allow to set. You won’t need all the chocolate, but there needs to be more to be able to dip them well.

By Laken Wagner

Here are some tips:

• Keep the oven door propped open by sticking a wooden spoon between the oven and the door
• Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon into the chocolate glaze to add another layer of flavor
• Put the leftover glaze into the fridge overnight to harden, and then roll small balls of the hardened ganache in cocoa powder to make quick truffles

It’s a labor of love, and I can guarantee you’ll love these eclairs any time of the day. Until next week, fellow foodies.

Junior Laken Wagner has been spending time in the kitchen since she was five years old, where both baking and cooking have always filled her extra time. She enjoys baking more than anything else and can frequently be found decorating cakes or trying out new recipes.