Éclairs with Mocha Pastry Cream

I am a lucky girl in so many ways. One of them is that I have a lot of really wonderful friends who are incredibly encouraging of my love for cooking and baking. (I’m sure this has absolutely, positively nothing to do with the fact that they often reap the benefit of said hobby.) It also turns out that some of them are pretty talented in the kitchen as well, and I thought it would be fun to all get together and have a baking day with the girlfriends. Finding one day that worked for four doctors was the biggest obstacle, but once we got past that, we had a blast!

Each of us chose one recipe that we wanted to make and I must say, all the choices were fantastic! I had everyone send me their recipes in advance so I could have the ingredients and necessary equipment ready for them. Before they came over, I prepared makeshift stations with the equipment and ingredients that each of us would need.

Julia made chocolate toffee shortbread bars.

Shanon made raspberry mascarpone macarons.

Ashley made crab-filled ravioli.

And I chose these éclairs filled with mocha pastry cream.

Once everyone arrived, I served a simple lunch of fontina mac and cheese, salad, and a fruit, cheese and cracker platter. We all enjoyed lunch and girl talk, and then we got busy in the kitchen! I’m sure you can imagine my excitement at having 3(!) KitchenAid mixers working all at once. This was a super fun day and I’m already looking forward to doing it again when our schedules will allow. I highly recommend coordinating a baking day with friends – it is quality time to spend together while sharing in an activity that everyone enjoys!

And as for my recipe choice, if you think I have an obsession with pastry cream…you’d be correct. I’ve been wanting to make these éclairs for a long time and baking day seemed the perfect opportunity to try them. These totally lived up to my expectations. I mean, what wouldn’t be great about a pastry filled with a thick, smooth mocha-flavored cream with a chocolate glaze on top? I wasn’t the only one who loved them. Ben acted like I had given him the best gift in the world when I let him eat the last one :)

Yield 8 éclairs

Ingredients

For the mocha pastry cream:
1½ cups half-and-half
6 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. sugar, divided
Pinch salt
1½ tsp. espresso powder
3 large egg yolks
2 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces
½ tsp. vanilla extract

For the pâte à choux:
2 large eggs plus 1 large egg white
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 10 pieces
2 tbsp. whole milk
6 tbsp. water
1½ tsp. sugar
¼ tsp. salt
½ cup (2½ oz.) all-purpose flour

For the glaze:
3 tbsp. half-and-half
2 oz. semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup (4 oz.) confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Directions

01
To make the pastry cream, heat the half-and-half, 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon of the sugar, and the salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat until simmering, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Once the mixture is warm, whisk in the espresso powder. Meanwhile, combine the egg yolks and remaining 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar in a medium bowl and whisk until the sugar has begun to dissolve and the mixture is creamy, about 15 seconds. Whisk in the cornstarch until combined and the mixture is pale yellow and thick, about 30 seconds.
02
To make the pastry cream, heat the half-and-half, 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon of the sugar, and the salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat until simmering, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Once the mixture is warm, whisk in the espresso powder. Meanwhile, combine the egg yolks and remaining 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar in a medium bowl and whisk until the sugar has begun to dissolve and the mixture is creamy, about 15 seconds. Whisk in the cornstarch until combined and the mixture is pale yellow and thick, about 30 seconds.
03
When the half-and-half mixture has reached a simmer, slowly add it to the egg yolk mixture to temper, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the saucepan, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula. Return the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly, until a few bubbles burst on the surface and the mixture is thickened and glossy, about 30 seconds. Off the heat, whisk in the butter and vanilla. Strain the pastry cream through a fine mesh sieve set over a medium bowl. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until cold and set, at least 3 hours and up to 2 days.
04
To make the pâte à choux, whisk the eggs and egg white in a liquid measuring cup. You should have ½ cup (discard the excess). Set aside. Combine the butter, milk, water, sugar and salt in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring once or twice. When it reaches a full boil and the butter is fully melted, remove from the heat and stir in the flour until incorporated and the mixture clears the sides of the pan. Return the saucepan to low heat and cook, stirring constantly, using a smearing motion, until the mixture is slightly shiny, looks like wet sand and tiny beads of fat appear on the bottom of the pan (the mixture should register 175-180˚ F on an instant-read thermometer.
05
Immediately transfer the mixture to a food processor and process with the feed tube open to cool slightly, 10 seconds. With the machine running, gradually add the reserved eggs in a steady stream. When they have been added, scrape down the sides of the bowl, then process 30 seconds more until a smooth, thick, sticky paste forms.
06
Adjust an oven rack to middle position and preheat the oven to 425˚ F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking mat. Fit a pastry bag with a ½-inch plain tip. Fill the pastry bag with the pâte à choux. Pipe the paste into eight 5 x 1-inch strips, spaced about 1 inch apart. Use the bake of a teaspoon dipped in water to even out the shape and smooth the surface.
07
Bake 15 minutes without opening the oven door, then lower the oven temperature to 375˚ F and continue to bake until golden brown and fairly firm, 8-10 minutes longer. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and cut a ¾-inch slit into the side of each éclair to release steam. Return the pan to the oven, turn off the oven, and prop the oven door open with the handle of a wooden spoon. Dry the éclairs in the turned-off oven until the centers are just moist and crisp, about 45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
08
To make the glaze, place the half-and-half and chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for 20 seconds at a time, until the mixture just begins to steam. Whisk together thoroughly, add the confectioners’ sugar and whisk until completely smooth.
09
To assemble the éclairs, add the pastry cream to a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip. Pipe the pastry cream through the slit in the side of each éclair to fill it completely. Dip the top of each éclair in the chocolate glaze. Transfer to a wire rack and allow the glaze to set. Serve within several hours.

Source

Baking Illustrated