Coffee and Chocolate Eclairs

Choux Pastry

1. Preheat oven to 480 F (250˚C).
2. Put water, milk, butter and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil.
3. Remove from heat and add flour. Mix with a spatula, ensuring not to leave any lumps. The end result is called a "panade".
4. Dry the panade on medium heat, stirring with the spatula, until it pulls away from the sides of the pan and forms a ball.
5. Place the panade in the bowl of a stand mixer and stir for a few moments using the sheet (utensil K) or the spatula to cool it.
6. Stir in eggs one at a time at low speed with the flat beater or spatula.
7. Initially, the egg will have trouble incorporating, but little by little, it will mix perfectly with the panade.
8. Stir in the other eggs one by one. The choux pastry is ready. It should be used immediately.

Choux pastry for the eclairs

1. Transfer the choux pastry into a pastry bag.
2. Using a large circular tip, form the éclairs on a baking sheet by placing them in a diagonal pattern. They should not exceed 5 inches in length.
3. The ideal is to use a "small oven" socket for regular lightning which will not deform during cooking.
4. Bake the flashes in the preheated oven at 480F/250C by immediately decreasing the temperature to 350F/180C.
5. Open the oven after 25 minutes so that all the moisture evaporates (and especially never before), then, close the oven and cook again 3 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a rack.

Chocolate pastry cream

1. Heat the milk and cream in a saucepan.
2. In a bowl, mix the sugar and the egg yolks and beat until the preparation turns white.
3. Stir in flour and cornstarch.
4. As soon as the milk and cream are boiling, pour them entirely on the mixture before whisking. Mix well.
5. Transfer back to the pan in which the milk was boiled and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring constantly to ensure that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
6. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk at low speed for 1 minute.
7. Add the chocolate chips into the hot mixture. They will melt and incorporate with the preparation.
8. Increase the speed of the mixer when all the chips have melted, and beat for 5 minutes.
9. Cover the pastry cream with plastic wrap so the plastic touches the cream and place it in the refrigerator for 1h30.

Eclair filling

1. Using a pastry filling tip, make two holes on each side under the éclairs to ensure an optimal filling of the éclairs.
2. Beat the chocolate pastry cream for one minute. Transfer it to a pastry bag with a ¼-inch/6mm or ⅓-inch/8mm diameter filling tip.
3. Place the end of the filling tip in front of one of the holes under the éclair. Push the tip deep into the éclair, being careful not to pierce on the other side of the éclair.
4. Remove the tip gradually while pressing gently on the pastry bag to fill the éclair with chocolate pastry cream. Renew the process with the other hole. Wipe off excess cream if necessary.
5. Operate gently, ensuring not to press too hard on the pastry bag so the éclair doesn't explode.

Chocolate Icing Preparation

1. Soften the white pastry fondant in a bain-marie (water bath). The temperature of the fondant after melting must be maintained between 98F/36C and 102F/38C.
2. Stir the cocoa powder into the white icing fondant by mixing gently with a spatula until all the chocolate is incorporated and there are no lumps remaining.

Eclair Icing

1. Take an éclair between two fingers and dip it gently into the chocolate frosting that has been kept at a maximum temperature of 102F/38C.
2. When the éclair is in contact with the icing, make 3 or 4 quick movements from top to bottom so that the icing will adhere well to its surface. Allow the excess icing to flow off.
3. You can also apply the icing fondant using a wide flat tip, ensuring that it does not flow too fast.
4. Very quickly, before the icing hardens, gently apply the edge of a spatula on the surface of the éclair, to level the thickness of the fondant.
5. Finish with your finger to mark the rounded shape of the chocolate icing.
6. Place the éclairs flat on a plate and allow to cool. The icing will set quickly.
7. Repeat with all other éclairs. Make sure to stir the glazing well before dipping the éclairs, as a fondant might slightly harden at the surface.

Coffee eclairs

Coffee cream custard

1. Heat the milk and cream in a saucepan.
2. In a bowl, mix the sugar and the whole eggs and beat until the preparation turns white.
3. Stir in flour and cornstarch.
4. As soon as the milk is boiling, pour it entirely on the mixture before whisking. Mix well.
5. Transfer back to the pan in which you boiled the milk and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring constantly to ensure that the cream does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
6. Transfer the cream to the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk at low speed for 1 minute.
7. Flavor the coffee cream by adding coffee extract. Start with a teaspoon and add more according to taste.
8. Increase the speed of the beater and beat the cream for 5 minutes.
9. Add the butter and whip until it is entirely incorporated into the cream.
10. Cover the pastry cream with plastic wrap so the plastic touches the cream and place it in the refrigerator for 1h30.

Eclair filling

1. Using a pastry filling tip, make two holes on each side under the éclairs to ensure an optimal filling of the éclairs.
2. Beat the coffee pastry cream for one minute. Transfer it to a pastry bag with a ¼-inch/6mm or ⅓-inch/8mm diameter filling tip.
3. Place the end of the filling tip in front of one of the holes under the éclair. Push the tip deep into the éclair, being careful not to pierce on the other side of the éclair.
4. Remove the tip gradually while pressing gently on the pastry bag to fill the éclair with coffee pastry cream. Renew the process with the other hole. Wipe off excess cream if necessary.
5. Operate gently, ensuring not to press too hard on the pastry bag so the éclair doesn't explode.
6. Coffee Icing Preparation
7. Soften the white pastry fondant in a bain-marie (water bath). The temperature of the fondant after melting must be maintained between 98F/36C and 102F/38C.
8. Stir in the coffee extract in the white icing fondant. Start with a few drops of coffee extract and add according to taste.

Eclair icing

1. Take an éclair between two fingers and dip it gently into the coffee frosting that has been kept at a maximum temperature of 102F/36C.
2. When the éclair is in contact with the icing, make 3 or 4 quick movements from top to bottom so that the icing will adhere well to its surface. Allow the excess icing to flow off.
3. You can also apply the icing fondant using a wide flat tip, ensuring that it does not flow too fast.
4. Very quickly, before the icing hardens, gently apply the edge of a spatula on the surface of the éclair, to level the thickness of the fondant.
5. Finish with your finger to mark the rounded shape of the chocolate icing.
6. Place the éclairs flat on a plate and allow to cool. The icing will set quickly.
7. Repeat with all other éclairs. Make sure to stir the glazing well before dipping the éclairs, as a fondant might slightly harden at the surface.