Food24
  • Recipes
    • Recipe Round-ups
    • New Recipes
    • South African Recipes
    • Chicken Recipes
    • Baking
    • Braai Recipes
    • Pasta Recipes
    • Easy Weekday Meals
    • Plant-based Recipes
  • News
    • Food News
  • Videos
  • Drinks
    • Wine
    • Beer
    • Cocktails
    • Coffee
  • Newsletters
  • More
    • Cooking Guides and Tips
    • Create your cookbook
    • Veganuary
    • Win
No Result
View All Result
Food24
  • Recipes
    • Recipe Round-ups
    • New Recipes
    • South African Recipes
    • Chicken Recipes
    • Baking
    • Braai Recipes
    • Pasta Recipes
    • Easy Weekday Meals
    • Plant-based Recipes
  • News
    • Food News
  • Videos
  • Drinks
    • Wine
    • Beer
    • Cocktails
    • Coffee
  • Newsletters
  • More
    • Cooking Guides and Tips
    • Create your cookbook
    • Veganuary
    • Win
No Result
View All Result
Food24
No Result
View All Result

Baking Classics: How to make the perfect chocolate éclair

Food24
Julie Donald by Julie Donald
June 9, 2015
in Food News
0
Baking Classics: How to make the perfect chocolate éclair
0
SHARES
207
VIEWS
FacebookTwitterPinterestWhatsapp

The French word éclair means “in a flash of lightening” because that is how quickly these babies go down. The perfect éclair is crisp on the outside, filled with a cloud of whipped cream or custard and drizzled with fondant icing or chocolate ganache.  

The pastry used to make these tidbits, is another example of French word play.  The word choux means cabbage, and it is so called because a profiterole (a round piped puff of choux pastry) resembles a cabbage.

The choux pastry contains no sugar or raising agent, and only puffs up because of the high water content turning to steam. The basic mixture contains only water, butter, flour and egg.   

Top tip 

Measure butter by volume (in cups or ml) WITHOUT melting it first, use Archimedes’ Principle of Displacement.  Pour cold water into a measuring jug (e.g. 200ml) then add the solid butter and push it below the surface of the water.  When the water level goes up to 300ml (for example) you have measured 100ml of butter.

Putting the roux in choux

The first step to making choux pastry is to melt the butter with the water and then adding the flour off the heat. This is called the roux (a term that is more commonly used to describe the butter and flour in a white sauce). Once the flour is all mixed in, place the pot back on the heat to cook the flour a bit. Stir the pot constantly while it is on the heat. You will know it is done when the paste comes away from the sides of the pot. The word roux actually means red or red-brown, and refers to a browned butter.

Cool your roux

Do not add any eggs to the roux until it has cooled to the point that you can comfortably hold the pot in your hands.  If the roux is hot, the eggs will curdle as soon as they are added.

Adding the eggs and beating

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with a wooden spoon between each addition. The recipe calls for 4 eggs or 250ml of egg, because the sizes of eggs vary so much it is safer to measure the eggs out into a measuring cup before adding them. After each addition of egg, check the consistency of the paste. It still needs to have a “pipe-able” consistency, and it should keep its shape when piped. Do not let your mixture become too runny, you may not even need to add the full quantity of eggs, play it by ear. The beating can be done with an electric mixer, but make sure you check the consistency regularly.  

Piping your éclairs

Pipe the éclairs onto a cookie sheet lined with a non-stick mat or prepared with cooking spray and a light dusting of flour. Pipe them out with a plain or open star nozzle about 10-15cm in length. When filling your piping bag turn the top of the bag over (like you would with the tops of your socks) to ensure that the opening of the bag stays (relatively) clean. Don’t overfill your bags (no more than half full) or they will tend to leak out the back of the bag.

Make a splash

Before you place the tray in the oven give the whole thing a splash with water (just using your hands) as the steam will help the éclairs to crisp up on the outside.

Baking the éclairs

Bake the pastries for 20 – 25 minutes in a hot oven (200°C) oven. They should be golden and crisp. Beware of taking them out of the oven too soon or they could flop down if they haven’t finished crisping. Once removed from the oven poke a hole in each one to allow steam to escape and place them back in the oven for an additional 3-5 minutes to crisp.  

Fillings and toppings

The traditional fillings are whipped cream or crème patisserie and the traditional toppings are fondant icing (like on a doughnut) or chocolate ganache, but be adventurous with your toppings and fillings. Flavour your cream or custard for a bit of variety, and try different toppings, like sprinkled chopped nuts etc. All of the creamy, sweet taste of an éclair comes from the filling and the topping  – as the pastry itself is fairly bland. So go crazy!

ALSO READ:

How to make the perfect scone

How to make the perfect meringues

How to make the perfect cupcakes

Tags: Bakingchocolate


Related Posts

3 headstrong fruit: Here’s how to cut them
Features

3 headstrong fruit: Here’s how to cut them

January 27, 2021
Partner content: Assortment of top chefs combine for sustainable seafood cookbook – counting our very own celebrity chef Siba Mtongana
Partner content

Partner content: Assortment of top chefs combine for sustainable seafood cookbook – counting our very own celebrity chef Siba Mtongana

January 25, 2021
Tips and tricks for homemade ice cream
Cooking Guides and Tips

Tips and tricks for homemade ice cream

January 22, 2021
Next Post
Michael Mol publishes healthy eating cookbook

Michael Mol publishes healthy eating cookbook

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Food24 Team Loves

3 headstrong fruit: Here’s how to cut them

3 headstrong fruit: Here’s how to cut them

January 27, 2021
Partner content: Assortment of top chefs combine for sustainable seafood cookbook – counting our very own celebrity chef Siba Mtongana

Partner content: Assortment of top chefs combine for sustainable seafood cookbook – counting our very own celebrity chef Siba Mtongana

January 25, 2021
Tips and tricks for homemade ice cream

Tips and tricks for homemade ice cream

January 22, 2021
5 great and colourful summer stir-fries

5 great and colourful summer stir-fries

January 21, 2021
coffee

5 new coffee trends you can expect for 2021

January 20, 2021

Popular this week

  • 4 Ways I used meal planning to save money every month

    4 Ways I used meal planning to save money every month

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • 5 new coffee trends you can expect for 2021

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Plant-based braais are the new black: here’s how to host one without looking like an idiot

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • 7 Cremora-based recipes to try these holidays

    4 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Tips and tricks for homemade ice cream

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Newsletter

Get weekly access to our best recipes, tips and tricks

Sign Up
Footer

Quick links

  • Home
  • News
  • Videos
  • Win

Collections

  • New Recipes
  • South African Recipes
  • Baking
  • Braai Recipes
  • Pasta Recipes
  • Dessert Recipes
  • Plant-based Recipes

Other links

  • Advertise with Food24
  • Editorial Policy
  • How to Pitch
  • Contact us

Not in the mood to cook?

Visit eatout.co.za to find the perfect restaurant near you.

eatout.co.za

© 2020 Food24.com. All rights reserved.

  • About us
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Notice
  • New Media
No Result
View All Result
  • Recipes
    • Recipe Round-ups
    • New Recipes
    • South African Recipes
    • Chicken Recipes
    • Baking
    • Braai Recipes
    • Pasta Recipes
    • Easy Weekday Meals
    • Plant-based Recipes
  • News
    • Food News
  • Videos
  • Drinks
    • Wine
    • Beer
    • Cocktails
    • Coffee
  • Newsletters
  • More
    • Cooking Guides and Tips
    • Create your cookbook
    • Veganuary
    • Win

© 2019 Food24.com. All rights reserved.

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Fill the forms below to register

Subscribe to Newsletter

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
Close
Food24
Recipe Disclaimer

All recipe content is the responsibility of the party from whom such content originated. You agree that you use the content on Food24 at your own risk. Please read our editorial policy.