Don't Make a Habit of 'Em

So, Bryce has had a small obsession with eclairs for a while.   What's not to like?  A pastry with a creamy filling and chocolate glaze seems like an excellent combination to me as well.  And I must confess, I have never actually used choux pastry before.  We had another incentive:  our neighbor, Robb is doing a small repair for us using glue and tiny objects.  We needed an expression of thanks to incentivize him.
With Dorie Greenspan to the rescue, we embarked on this adventure today, and hey!  They are easy!  In her Around My French Table cookbook, Dorie makes it all simple.  We actually went a step further, and dispensed with the piping.  Technically, these are cream puffs, I would guess, and as there is no vanilla pastry cream as the filling, perhaps not even that.  So, we filled the little lovelies with vanilla sweetened whipped cream, almost to excess, and topped them with chocolate ganache.

Before

 During (well, after the bake)

Finished product!

Mini Chocolate Eclairs

adapted from around my french table

by Dorie Greenspan

1/2 c water

1/2 c whole milk

1T sugar

1/2 t salt

8 T (one stick) butter, cut in several pieces

Bring to a boil, then add

1 c flour

Beat vigorously to blend, it should be smooth and slightly dull in appearance when finished.  

Transfer to a mixing bowl for a stand up mixer.  

Add, 1 at a time, beating well after each one,

4 eggs

When finished, it should be smooth and satiny.  Preheat your oven to 425F.

Place rounded tablespoonfuls on a parchment covered baking sheet, about 2" apart.  This will fill 2 sheets.  I took the 2nd sheet and am freezing it, as Dorie writes that these can be frozen, and baked at a later date.  I can only have so many diet busters around at any given time....

Place the pan in the oven, and turn the heat down to 375F.  Bake 12 min, rotate the pan, bake another 12 minutes, until golden.  Allow to cool on the pan.  

Cut the top off when cool, and fill with sweetened whipped cream, and cover with a chocolate ganache:  

4 oz bittersweet chocolate cut in small pieces.  

1/2 c cream, heated to boiling, and poured over chocolate, stir until smooth and chocolate is melted.  

Chill your mini eclairs until you need to placate the masses or about 1 hour.  

Written by Birgit, photos by Bryce