100% Pure Mini Eclairs

Eclairs - which is a longer version of cream puffs - is my childhood favorite. The cripsy shell smells buttery but light as air but it compliments with a mouthful of whipped cream that bursts the flavors in your mouth...mmmmmmmMMM who can resisit a freshly made eclair?

My first memory of cream puff was a very proud one. Back in high school, I was the culinary team which prepares refreshments for most school events. In the midst of the busy preparation, a senior came to me for help because her cream puffs were all flat. Although I had never tried making cream puffs, I offered help and tried the recipe. And, vola! the new puffs came alive! So..what's the secret behind a nice cream puff?

Here are the fail-proof steps I used:

 Ingredients

• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs, beated
• Vanilla Whipped Cream

  Steps

1. Preheat oven for 400 degrees and line a cookie baking tray with waxed paper
2. mix in milk, butter, sugar and salt in a medium heat sauce pan. Stir well until the butter melts
3. add the flour all at once into the liquid, stir vigorously and avoid the flour from sticking to the pan
4. mix until the dough sticks and forms an elastic dough. Fold the dough in low heat for about 1 minute
5.  when the dough shows a shiny surface and slightly sticks to the pan, turn off the heat and let it cool
6. when the dough is warm, mix in the beated eggs, 1/4 of the eggs at a time
7. Slowly pour in the eggs and mix the batter until it's sticky. Note: the right texture should be soft but stiff enough to stay on the spetula. There should always have excessive egg mixture remained *
8. transfer dough to pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 inch round tip
9. pipe 2 1/2 inch long eclairs and keep about a 1/2 inch spacing between each one. Bake until exclairs rise and turned golden brown. Bake for 20-25 minutes
10. Whip cream and add vanillar extract or liquor. Can mix with berries or jam with the cream. 
11. Cool the eclairs on a tray and split them in half with a knife. Spoon or pipe the cream into eclair bottoms and spoon more berries on the top. Sandwich with eclair tops. Serve immediately

 

*The right texture(Sorry, I forgot to capture the moment when I was baking..here's a picture of reference. If you can read the Chinese description is even better haha)

Throughout my journey of perfecting my cream puff recipe, I found this cook book in a book store back in HK. This is almost the text book of making cream puffs. What I like most of the book is that it not only has fancy pictures and a variety of flavors to test out, but also it lists out all the successful tips and failed examples. It is definitely helpful for the baking process. 

For the filling, I am always lazy to make my own custard from scratch so I always opt for the whipping cream..I am longing to make custard one day..I will let you guys know if I finally get myself to make one.