Eclairs - Fool Proof Recipe

Ian is basically not a cake person, he doesn't really have sweet tooth - unlike his sis. Having said that, there are some sweet treats which he consistently enjoys having. One of them is éclairs
So, for his 9th birthday last week, when I asked him what he wanted me to bake for him, he said no cake. I asked, éclairs? He nodded in full excitement LOL

My family and I love it too, actually, but I do not really bake it often. As far as I remember, this was only my third time and in fact my first time using different recipe. Previously I always used this recipe

This time I attempted another recipe, from Kenneth of Guai Shu Shu
Ingredients are more or less the same, the only difference is his method is using electric mixer while my usual recipe is not. Result is very similar taste and texture. Love it :)

This recipe is more fool proof as the mixing is done by the machine, which I like
I was forgotten to take pics of the pretty hollow inside of the puff as well as how it looked inside with the filling, hope I remember the next time I bake this again :P

What you need:

For the choux pastry:
4 eggs
125g butter
125g plain flour
250g water

For the filling:
I used the same recipe as I did previously. Click the link I wrote above

For the chocolate coating;
I used the easy way, I melted 200g dark chocolate over double boiler. After melting while it's still hot, add in about 1 heaped tbsp of butter. Stir well

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200degC. Grease and line 2 cookie sheets
2. In a sauce pan over medium low heat, bring to boil water and butter. Add in flour while stirring vigorously until well mixed. Keep stirring til the dough doesn't stick to the pan and start to form a ball like shape. Let cool briefly about 5mins or so
3. Transfer the dough into a mixing bowl. Beat for 30 seconds. Add in eggs, one at a time and make sure to add the next one after it's really well mixed (to be safe, add the next egg after at least 30 seconds of beating) Dough will be smooth and glossy but not runny
4. Transfer dough into a large piping bag. Snip the tip to make about 1.5cm hole (or you can use piping nozzle with round tip) Pipe dough to your preferred length, about 10cm, onto lined cookie sheet
5. Bake for 15mins and then reduce the temperature to 180degC and bake for another 20mins or so til it's golden and firm to the touch (Do not open oven door during baking especially the first 20mins to avoid puffs to deflate)
6. When it's done, remove from oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Poke each puff at both ends with a toothpick to release trapped moisture inside
7. When the puffs are completely cooled, you can either slit lengthwise at one side to slather the filling in it, or you also may use piping bag with small tip to poke into one end of the puff and pipe the filling
8. Last step is to dip the top of each puff with melted chocolate topping. Store in an airtight container. If need to stack, layer with plastic or parchment paper in between. Keep refrigerated

For the special birthday boy, I presented the éclairs a little differently. I stacked them to make it like a pyramid and drizzled with homemade easy chocolate sauce

The birthday boy was delighted to see the éclairs pyramid! :)

 

 

 

 

Rolled Chocolate Cream Puff with Custard Filling

Another way to make cream puff :)
Recipe is from Hestí's site

 

Rolling choux is officially not easy for me, hence the not so round roll LOL

 

 

 

What you need:

For the choux:
150g butter
120g plain flour
30g cocoa powder
250ml fresh milk
2 tbsp fine sugar
1/4 tsp salt
4 large eggs

For the filling:
200g sweet condensed milk
600ml water
3 tsp fine sugar (original recipe 6 tbsp but I found 3 tsp is enough)
35g corn flour
35g plain flour
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 egg yolks
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp butter

Method:

Choux:

1. Cook butter, milk, sugar and salt over medium low heat, stir continuously til boiling
2. Add in flour, stir vigorously til smooth. Off heat and let cool
3. Add in egg one by one, beat well each time
4. Scoop batter into piping bag, and pipe in lines on a lined baking sheet (give about half a cm gap)
5. Bake in preheated oven of 200degC for 20-25 minutes (do not open the oven door during baking)

Filling:

1. Bring all ingredients to the boil in a pot (except butter). Keep stirring throughout the process
2. After boiling, off heat. Add in butter and stir well
3. Let cool by covering the custard with cling wrap (do not leave space between the custard and the pot)

How to assemble:

1. After the choux cooled, flip and spread the filling on it
2. Roll just like when you make swiss roll using baking paper
3. Tighten and keep in the fridge for 30 minutes
4. Cut and serve

What I did with the remaining choux dough...

I'm submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #34: Choux Party (August 2013) hosted by Jasline of Foodie Baker

 

I'm also submitting this post to  Little Thumbs up (Egg) organised by Doreen from my little favourite DIY and Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids, hosted by Yen from Eat your heart out, at this post

 

 

 

 

A friendly reminder:

The giveaway is now opened. Closing date is 5 September 2013

Please view HERE for details :)

Eclairs

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!
I'm not a believer nor follower for this day, but it's nice to at least do something on this day, especially when my kids were so excited about this day. It must have been broadcasted everywhere in their school! :)
And for foodie like me, what else if it's not something to do with baking? LOL Nothing fancy :)

My kids always love eclairs, they always buy store bought, either from bakeries or from frozen section in the supermarkets
It's not cheap, I must say. Those 10 pieces in a box, both of them could finish in one shot. And it's still not enough cos they usually still asked for more LOL
Hence, I baked this eclairs. It's my first eclairs! :)

They were full of praise, and couldnt stop at one. My kids ate at least five pieces each time and for once, they turned down my offer for more eclairs hahahaha...
I never feel good whenever they eat something they like but they have to stop before they have enough cos I run out of it, so it's really something to be able to let them eat til they want no more LOL
Oh, and DH said, this is way better than those sold outside! *grin*


Original recipe is from Hesti from Hesti's Kitchen
Makes about 55 mini eclairs approximately 7cm length

What you need:

Choux pastry:

150g butter

150g plain flour

250ml water

4 large eggs

Method:

1. Cook water, butter and salt til boiling
2. Add in all flour and stir vigorously til the dough no longer sticks on the pot. Let cool
3. Add in egg one by one til evenly mixed. Transfer dough into piping bag (I used Wilton 8B). Pipe on the lightly buttered pan
4. Bake 200degC for approx. 20minutes (do not open the oven door)

Vanilla filling:

600ml fresh milk OR 200g sweet condensed milk mixed with water to reach 600ml
2 egg yolks
30g corn flour and 20g plain flour
enough sugar (only when fresh milk is used)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp butter

Method:

1. Mix all ingredients except butter til smooth and even (if necessary, sift)
2. Cook til bubbling. Add in butter and stir til glossy

Chocolate filling:

100ml thick cream (I used whipping cream)
200g dark cooking chocolate
50g butter
¾ of the ingredients for vanilla filling

Method:

1. Heat cream til a little smoky. Add in butter and chocolate til melting and thick
2. Add in the ingredients for vanilla filling and mix well
3. Lastly, add in the butter from the vanilla filling and stir til glossy

Pipe filling into the cooled choux and decorate the top with chocolate ganache. I made the simple one by heating up 100ml whipping cream with about 5 tbsp light corn syrup and just heat til almost boiling. Add in 100g dark chocolate and stir til smooth and glossy
Keep the eclairs refrigerated

This recipe is a keeper! And considerably easy to make :)

I actually made nama chocolate, too for Valentine's day today. But it's getting dark when I finished up coating them with cocoa powder
Will post tomorrow okie :)

 

Bake Along #33 - Remastered: Japanese Choux Pastry

Baked this sometime ago and failed miserably
You may view the 'choux with hat' HERE

With Bake Along theme this month - cream puff, I knew it's time for me to give this recipe another try
But this past two weeks has been a very busy time for me, so I only managed to bake this today

Ian was sick, I mean really sick, started with mild cough on Monday last week
Then it started to get worse, broguht him to our family doctor and he had 3 days MC last week - Wednesday to Friday, high fever with very bad phlegmy cough and blocked stuffy nose. His fever was so high, it's so rare to see the thermometer below 39deg, it's always between 39-40deg, shivered badly, vomitted numerous times, diarrhea and tummy pain - it's a 3 days of nightmare

Even with antibiotics, his condition was not getting any better on Monday morning, so I had to bring him to KK Hospital on that morning, did blood test and X-ray, and he's diagnosed with mild asthma and respiratory infection and gave him a week MC with a series of medication and reliever puff

Reached home, I started giving him the medication and to my horror, at night I saw his eyes were swollen and red, and soon rashes started to appear all over his body
The very next morning which was yesterday, I brought him back to KK Hospital and doctor said he might be allergic to the antibiotic since he never took this type before
So I had to stop giving him the antibiotic and gotta give him syrup for allergy for the next 4 days

Thank God since yesterday afternoon til now, his fever has stopped completely
Now he's more alive, appetite is slowly coming back, rashes only a little left and nomore swollen eyes. Cough and runny nose is much much better, too
He's now still on MC and will be back on Monday

Parent's nightmare is when the child is sick, indeed
So glad the real Ian is back now, a kind of miss his mischievousness :P

Okay now back to my today's bake
Here's the pics, so glad I could bake it right this time :)
I made two fillings, vanilla rhum and chocolate

Full recipe can be viewed HERE

With chocolate filling...

With vanilla rhum filling...

This is for Bake Along event, hosted by Joyce, Zoe and Lena

Fried Choux Pastry (Soes Goreng)

I don't think I ever see this snack here in Singapore
This is one of favorite snack loved by people of all ages in Indonesia
Fast and easy to prepare, taste delicious too!

It's basically using choux pastry dough but fried instead of baked, and no filling needed, just some icing sugar dust

What you need:

400ml water
150g butter
200g plain flour
7 eggs, beaten
a pinch of salt

1. Bring to boil water, butter and salt over low heat
2. Add in flour, keep stirring til soft dough formed and it doesn't stick on the pot
3. Let cool
4. Add in the cooled flour mixture, mix well
5. Heat oil on frying pan, scoop dough each a tablespoon, drop on the heated oil and fry til golden brown both sides
6. Serve warm with some icing sugar dust

Note:
For variation, you may add some raisins into the dough and mix well before frying

Bite Size Japanese Choux Pastry

Submitted this last minute for LBT challenge for the month of October - choux pastry
This is one snack I love but never make, even though have helped and observed many times everytime my mum made this
Wanted to make something different, I chose to try Japanese choux pastry and wanted to make it bite size - WRONG!!!

Everything was fine til the time for me to shape the topping
Cos of the tiny size, it's so difficult to do swirl on top, after a few miserable tries, I gave up and just did a dollop at the centre
I was quite hesitant to do that - concerned that the puff wouldn't expand cos of the additional weight on top
True enough, they didn't - not to the maximum :(
Another problem was when I did the filling, I wanted to pipe the filling but cos of the tiny size, and it's not expanded well, I had problem doing that
I ended up have to cut the puffs and spoon the filling into them, and these actions made the topping cracked - wew!
Despite all the hiccups, one consolation I got: it's really really yummy! :)

So, this is the end result...

The recipe taken from HERE and what a nice choux pastry she has made!

What you need:

For the choux pastry:

250ml water

150g margarine

150g plain flour

1/2 tsp salt

4 eggs

For the topping:

50g plain flour

50g icing sugar

50g butter

1 tbsp water

For the custard filling:

600ml fresh milk

2 egg yolks

30g maizena

20g plain flour

5 tbsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanillin powder

1 tbsp butter

How to make the topping...

Beat all ingredients til well mixed and put in piping bag, cut the tip to make a small hole

How to make the choux pastry...

Bring to boil water, margarine and salt

Add in plain flour while stirring constantly til smooth, off heat and let cool

When it's already cooled, add in egg one at a time and stir continuously til well mixed

Put in the piping bag and cut the tip approx 2cm

Pipe on the lightly greased cookie pan (mini size would be approx 5cm in diameter - double the size for regular size)

Pipe the topping by making swirl on top of the choux pastry batter

Bake in preheated oven of 200degC for 10minutes (mini) or 20mins (regular), til golden color

Let cool and make a hole at the bottom or side with a chopstick

How to make the filling:

Mix all ingredients except butter, mix well til smooth (can strain if necessary)

Cook til boiling, off heat and let cool

After cooled, add in butter, mix well

Put in piping bag with tip

Lastly, pipe the filling into the choux pastry - yum!

Definitely will try again to master this

Lesson learnt: not a recipe for bite size - will stick to the regular size next time :)

Cheese Puff

This puff is so good you can't stop at one...and still can't stop at ten *grin*
So cheesy, so yummy!

Original recipe is from Vivi's site with a little modification to suit my family's taste

What you need:

250ml water

100g unsalted butter

a pinch of salt

150g plain flour

3 large eggs

100g grated parmesan cheese

a pinch of ground black pepper

For topping:

beaten 1 egg

grated cheddar cheese

Heat water, butter and salt on low fire til butter hot and melts 

Add in flour while stirring continuously til forms dough that's not sticky

Off heat, set aside til warm - around 5 minutes

Transfer to mixing bowl - add in eggs and pepper

Beat in high speed til smooth and thick

Lower the speed, add in cheese - around 1 minute

Transfer dough into piping bag, choose medium size star or flower tip, and arrange on cookies pan with parchment paper

Brush the top with beaten egg and sprinkle grated cheddar cheese

Bake in preheat oven of 210degC for 15minutes

Once you pop, you can not stop!

Cream Puff (Kue Sus Isi Vla)

This is my mum's recipe (again - yes, she's one of my recipe sources :P)
I love this since my childhood and so does my family

All the puffs before adding in the filling

Rum custard and chocolate custard filling

What you need:

For the puff:
125g plain flour
100g butter
4 eggs
200ml water
1 tsp salt

For the filling:
20g cornflour
20g plain flour
70g sugar
2 egg yolks
300ml fresh milk
rum (for rum custard)
unsweetened cocoa powder + chocolate emulco (for chocolate custard)

For the puff:
Bring to boil water, butter and salt, add in plain flour - off heat, stir well
After cooled, add in eggs, beat with mixer for around 2 minutes
Grease cookies pan, spoon 2 tbsp of the dough - make into round shape, give enough spaces in between
Preheat oven at 200degC for 10mins, bake around 20mins or til golden brown

For the filling:
Mix egg yolks and sugar also milk, put in a pot on low heat, stir til mixed well
When already hot, add in cornflour and plain flour, stir til incorporated, let it cooked - keep on stirring til smooth
After that let it cool, then make into 2 portions
1 portion to add rum for rum custard filling, and the other portion to add unsweetened cocoa powder which has been mixed with chocolate emulco and a little hot water for the chocolate custard filling

Cut the puff big enough to add filling, add accordingly
Makes 20pcs