Cream puffs/ Eclairs

Hubby was looking for sweets and immediately mentioned eclairs.  We both enjoy them and when you make your homemade custard they are hard to resist.

The puff recipe is super easy and as long as you store them in a cool place they should keep for a few days.  Lightly cover with wax paper until you are ready to fill.

Note:  Make sure you scoop out all of unbaked dough in center after you cut them and dis guard.

Original recipe 10-1-16

Add caption

Puff ingredients:

1 cup water 
1 stick butter 
1 cup flour
Bring water and butter to boil, lower heat. Add flour stirring constantly until mixture works away from sides...Take off stove beat in 4 eggs one at a time into flour mixture.

Grease and flour cookie sheet.  By heaping Tablespoon spoon dough into large mounds or a little narrower making sure to leave space in between for dough to spread out if you want a eclair (oval) type look.

Bake 400 degrees for 40 minutes.  Turn oven off leave in oven 15 min. more.
When completely cool cut half way across and scoop out any remaining dough in center.  Fill with custard cream and either sprinkle powdered sugar on top for making a chocolate icing.

For years I have made the custard recipe below.  I used to make it on top of the stove and always worried about it burning/scorching so a few years back I decided to try it in our microwave and have made it this way ever since.  Enjoy!

NOTE:  USE AN ICE CREAM SCOOPER TO MAKE MORE UNIFORM CREAM PUFFS..


Microwave Custard Filling:
1/4 cup corn starch

1/3 cup sugar
2 cups milk( I used 2%)Or whole Milk is the best.
2 Egg yolks
2 Tablespoons butter
1 tsp. vanilla

In a medium glass bowl combine corn starch and sugar.  With a whisk , gradually stir milk into the corn starch.

Place above milk, cornstarch, sugar mixture in microwave on high power for 5 to 7 minutes or until thickened and bubbling, stirring after each 2 minute interval.  

Take out of microwave using whisk gently whisk half of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks and then add the rest of the egg mixture into remaining hot mixture..

Microwave on high power for 1 1/2 to 2  1/2 minutes or until thickened and heated through, stirring after each 45 second interval.  Using a wire whisk blend in butter and vanilla.

Chocolate Topping:

Start with 1 Tablespoon softened butter
1 Tablespoon cocoa
1 Tablespoon powdered sugar
1 tsp. milk

With a wire whisk blend all ingredients.  

Depending on how many cream puff/eclairs you are going to fill, adjust recipe.  The above was able to top 3 nicely.  I only do a few at a time or as needed.  My recipe made 10 puffs of average size.  Store puffs in a cool place or fill and refrigerate. You can also sprinkle powdered sugar on top instead of chocolate.  

Happy Baking from my kitchen to yours,