Chocolate Éclairs From JR Ryall
Chocolate éclairs always remind me of the first Sunday I worked in the pastry kitchen at Ballymaloe House. That morning I watched Mamie Hayes, one of the chefs, pipe tray after tray of choux pastry for a busy Sunday lunch. The dough puffed perfectly into the most beautiful éclairs I had ever seen. The moment they cooled, Mamie quickly filled and glazed each pastry, and before I knew it, they had all been sent to the dining room and eaten. For me that is the perfect way to serve éclairs—to eat and enjoy them as soon as they are ready. The pastry should be crisp, the filling should be cold and the glaze should shine.
I like to fill chocolate éclairs with crème légère, a mixture of pastry cream and whipped cream, though they are also lovely filled with sweetened vanilla cream (Chantilly cream). The chocolate glaze in this recipe is not the typical fondant icing (frosting) found on most éclairs; it is less sweet, which to my taste is nicer, and it has a beautiful shine.
Photo by Cliodhna Prendergast
INGREDIENTS
Makes approximately 20 éclairs
FOR THE ÉCLAIRS
1 quantity Choux Pastry (recipe below)
1 small egg, beaten with a pinch of salt (egg wash, optional)
FOR THE CRÈME LÉGÈRE
600 milliliters/20 fluid ounces (2½ cups) Pastry Cream (recipe below)
600 milliliters/20 fluid ounces (2½ cups) whipped cream
FOR THE CHOCOLATE GLAZE
170 grams / 6 ounces dark (semisweet) chocolate (62% cocoa solids)
50 grams / 2 ounces (¼ cup) salted butter
2 large (U.S. extra-large) eggs
METHOD
TO MAKE THE ÉCLAIRS: Preheat the oven to 210°C/410°F/Gas Mark 6. Line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Fill a canvas piping (pastry) bag fitted with a 1-centimeter/⅓-inch round tip with the choux pastry. Pipe the dough into 10-centimeter/4-inch strips, leaving a space of 4 centimeters/1½ inches between each éclair for expansion. Egg wash is not essential. Sprinkle a few drops of cold water over the top of the baking sheet and bake in the centre of the oven for 20 minutes.
Reduce the heat to 180°C/360°F/Gas Mark 4 and bake for another 15 minutes or until the pastry is crisp and golden. A note of caution: do not be tempted to open the oven door too soon
If the pastry has not crisped sufficiently on the outside, there is a risk the éclairs might collapse when the door is opened. When checking the pastry, be very gentle.
Remove the tray from the oven and make a small circular hole in the underside of each éclair—I like to use the tip of a small knife for this—so steam can escape from the centre. Return to the oven and bake for another 5 minutes to dry out the inside of the pastry. When the pastry inside is crisp and dry, it is ready to remove from the oven. Allow to cool on a wire rack.
TO MAKE THE CRÈME LÉGÈRE: Place the pastry cream in a bowl and mix until smooth in texture, then fold in the whipped cream. Fit a canvas piping (pastry) bag with a 5-millimeter/¼-inch round tip, or if you happen to have a special éclair piping nozzle use that instead. Fill the bag with the cream mixture and pipe it into each éclair through the hole.
TO MAKE THE CHOCOLATE GLAZE: Place the chocolate, 2 tablespoons of water, and the butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of hot water. Stir as the ingredients melt until the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and whisk in the eggs. The glaze should be smooth and glossy.
Hold each éclair between your thumb and forefinger. Invert the éclair so the top is facing down and dip into the chocolate glaze so it covers no more than one third of the pastry. Lift the éclair out of the glaze and let any surplus drip off before turning it right way up again. Arrange on a pretty plate and serve.
Choux Pastry
INGREDIENTS
Makes approximately 675 grams/1 pound 8 ounces
225 milliliters/8 fluid ounces (1 cup) water
110 grams/4 ounces (½ cup) salted butter, cut into 1 centimeter-/½-inch cubes
140 grams/5 ounces (1 cup) strong white flour, sifted
4 large (U.S. extra-large) eggs
METHOD
Place the water and the butter in a pan on a medium heat. When the butter has melted, bring the mixture to a rolling boil, then immediately remove the pan from the heat.
Add the flour to the pan and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together and pulls away from the sides of the pan to form a ball. Return the pan to a medium–low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture starts to ‘fry’ or stick to the bottom of the pan, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and transfer the hot dough to the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed.
Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat together. With the stand mixer still running on low speed, gradually add the egg to the warm dough in small amounts; wait for the beaten egg to be fully incorporated before adding more.
When three quarters of the beaten egg has been added, add the remainder little by little. Note: you might not need all of the egg! Use just enough egg to make a shiny and smooth dough that drops smoothly from the paddle attachment. The dough should be just thick enough to hold a shape when it is piped. Resist the temptation to add any more beaten egg. Too much egg will make the dough too loose and the pastry will not expand properly as it bakes.
Choux pastry is best used within a few hours of making. The dough can also be stored overnight in the refrigerator but should be allowed to return to room temperature before shaping and baking.
Pastry Cream
INGREDIENTS
Makes approximately 600 milliliters/1 pint (2½ cups)
450 milliliters/15 fluid ounces (1¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons) milk
1 vanilla pod, split lengthwise or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
6 large (U.S. extra-large) egg yolks
110 grams/4 ounces (½ cup plus 1 tablespoon) caster (superfine) sugar
35 grams/1¼ ounces (¼ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
Pinch of salt
METHOD
Place the milk and vanilla pod, if using, in a heavy pan. Put on a medium heat and bring to just below boiling point. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the vanilla pod to infuse with the milk for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the egg yolks in a bowl with the sugar and whisk until the mixture lightens in texture. Add the flour and a pinch of salt and whisk thoroughly.
If using a vanilla pod, remove it from the milk, scrape the tiny seeds from inside the pod and then add them back into the milk. If using pure vanilla extract, add it to the milk now.
Pour the warm milk into the egg mixture, whisking all the time until both mixtures are thoroughly combined. Return the mixture to a clean pan and place on a medium heat, stirring continuously with a whisk. Take care to scrape across the bottom and into the corners of the pan to prevent the custard from sticking as it cooks. Use a flat-bottomed wooden spoon to help if you feel the mixture is sticking. The custard will gradually thicken as it approaches boiling point.
When the custard starts to boil, reduce the heat slightly and maintain at a simmer for 2 minutes. During this time the flour in the custard will cook out and the texture will change slightly, becoming noticeably silkier and shiny. Remove the pan from the heat and pass the thick custard through a sieve into a bowl. Press a piece of baking paper against the surface of the custard to prevent a skin forming. Allow to cool. Pastry cream can be stored in the refrigerator for several days.
From Ballymaloe Desserts by JR Ryall. Reprinted by permission of Phaidon.
