Coffee Eclairs with Coffee Creamer Pastry Cream

Creme Patissiere

1. Add the liquid creamer to a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat.
2. While heating, place the egg yolks in a separate bowl with the cornflour and whisk until smooth.
3. When the creamer is starting to simmer, pour some of this hot creamer into the egg yolks in a thin stream while whisking continuously, to temper the egg yolks.
4. Transfer this egg yolk mix to the saucepan and heat over medium heat, while mixing/whisking continuously until the mix thickens. IF the mix looks like it’s curdling, remove from the heat, and pass it through a sieve. Then return it to the saucepan and continue to heat until the custard is very thick, like pudding.
5. Remove from the heat, and add the chocolate chips and butter. Mix through until the chocolate and butter have melted and incorporated fully into the custard. Cover with plastic wrap (with the plastic wrap touching the surface of the custard). Let it cool down to room temperature and then transfer it to the fridge until ready to use.
6. To lighten up the creme patissiere (optional) - whisk 1/4 of a cup of chilled whipped cream until stiff peaks are just starting to form. Add the whipped cream to the creme patissiere in 2 batches, and fold it in to incorporate. Cover and chill until needed.

Eclair shells

1. Pre-heat oven to 375°F/190°C.
2. Make the Pate a Choux batter according to the instructions in this choux pastry recipe post. Place the batter in a pastry bag, fitted with an open star tip.
3. Pipe the pate a choux to make eclairs, about 3 - 4 inches long.
4. Use a moist finger to make the end smooth.
5. Place the tray in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown and the choux pastry shells look crisp. REMEMBER, NOT TO OPEN THE OVEN DOOR DURING THE FIRST HALF OF THE BAKING TIME.
6. Remove from the oven and let them cool down completely.

Chocolate Glaze

1. Place the chocolate chips in a bowl.
2. Heat the whipping cream until it starts to simmer. Pour the heated cream over the chocolate chips. Cover for 1 minute. Uncover and stir until chocolate has melted and the glaze is thick and shiny.

Assembly

1. Place the creme patissiere in a piping bag with a small round tip attached. Insert the tip into the choux pastry shell and fill it. Repeat with all the choux pastry shells.
2. Dip the top of the eclairs in chocolate glaze and sprinkle some toffee pieces (for chocolate toffee truffle), salt flakes (for salted caramel) and coffee beans (for cafe mocha) on top (optional).