Recipe of Today: Chocolate Eclairs

Ingredients:

For The Choux Pastry:

• 1 cup water
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs

For The Filling:

• 2 cups heavy cream
• ¼ cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For The Chocolate Ganache:

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• ½ cup heavy cream

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

• In a saucepan, combine water, butter, sugar, and sea salt. Heat over medium heat until the butter is melted and the mixture comes to a boil.

• Reduce the heat to low and add the flour all at once. Stir vigorously until the mixture forms a smooth dough and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Remove from heat and let it cool for a few minutes.

• Transfer the dough to the Kitchenin KM50 Stand Mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed to release excess heat, then increase to medium speed. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. The dough should be smooth and glossy.

• Spoon the dough into a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe the dough into 4-inch long strips on the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each eclair.

• Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the eclairs are golden brown and puffed up. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and bake for an additional 5 minutes to dry out the centers. Remove from the oven and let them cool completely on a wire rack.

• In the meantime, prepare the filling. In another clean bowl of the Kitchenin KM50 Stand Mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.

• Once the eclairs have cooled, slice them in half horizontally. Fill the bottom halves with the whipped cream mixture using a spoon or a piping bag.

• For the chocolate ganache, heat the heavy cream in a saucepan until it starts to simmer. Remove from heat and pour it over the chocolate chips. Let it sit for a minute, then whisk until smooth and glossy.

• Dip the top halves of the eclairs into the chocolate ganache or drizzle it over them. Allow the ganache to set for a few minutes.

• Finally, place the chocolate-covered tops back onto the cream-filled bottoms of the eclairs.

• Serve the chocolate eclairs immediately or refrigerate for a couple of hours to allow the flavors to meld together. Enjoy!