There is absolutely no need to be an expert in the field of cooking in order to prepare custard cakes (eclairs) at home. Of course, choux pastry is somewhat more difficult to make than other types, but still this is a very feasible task.
Unfortunately, many are stopped by the fear of failure, which is very bad. So, with what should you start to master a custard cake recipe at home?
First of all, you need to prepare the cream, because at the last stage of preparation it should be already cooled. For this reason, it is worth starting to make the cream a few hours before you start working on the custard cake dough.
The best recipes for custard cakes offer a classic cream for eclairs - custard. It is made very easy, and for it you will need eggs, sugar, cream, butter and corn starch.
How to make such a cream?
In a medium bowl, beat together five egg yolks, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1/4 cup sugar, and a pinch of salt.
Heat two cups of cream and 1/4 cup sugar over medium heat until the mixture begins to boil. Whisk the creamed cream slowly with the egg yolk mixture. Take your time - if you do it too quickly, the eggs will boil, and you will have to start all over again.
Then pour the mixture back into the pan. Stir constantly until small bubbles on the surface begin to burst. In addition, it is necessary to prevent the formation of lumps.
Strain the cream into a large bowl. A metal sieve will allow you to remove all lumps and finally make sure that your cream is smooth and uniform.
Then put four tablespoons of butter and one tablespoon of vanilla extract in the mixture . You can replace the extract with vanilla seeds for a richer and more intense flavor. You can also experiment with other extracts and flavors, such as almonds or coffee. Screw a layer of cling film onto the surface of the cream and refrigerate it until it cools completely. A plastic film on top of the dishes prevents the formation of a crust on the surface. Of course, if you use the cream as an independent dessert, its dried surface, judging by the reviews, even seems tasty to many, but when it is supposed to be a filling in a custard cake (a recipe at home), it is better to keep the cream uniform.
Chocolate glaze
The surface of the chocolate looks very beautiful, and it is easy to make it by completing a custard cake recipe at home. To do this, place 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate drops or chopped chocolate in a bowl. Heat 1/2 cup thick cream over medium heat until they begin to boil. Pour the hot cream into the chocolate.
Let the mixture stand for about five minutes. Then mix it until smooth.
Choux pastry - recipes for dough
The most difficult thing in making custard cakes, judging by the reviews, is to make the right dough. Heat the mixture: 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons of sugar - over medium heat in a medium saucepan.
Once this mass has reached a boil, add one cup of flour immediately. Stir constantly until the mixture begins to leave the sides of the pan, forming a ball in the center. Remove it from the heat and refrigerate for three minutes.
Stir and add 1/2 teaspoon of vanillin. Beat three large eggs whole and two large egg whites additionally. Separate addition of proteins will allow the final product to dry better and brown. Obviously, no one wants to eat raw wet eclairs. You can beat eggs manually with a wooden spoon or use a mixer (at your discretion).
We form custard cakes - recipe
How to cook beautiful eclairs? Use a large bag with a round neckline in the corner or a pastry bag with a thick nozzle to squeeze the dough onto parchment paper spread on a baking sheet. If you want to make home-made custard cakes in the form of mini-eclairs, make strips of dough no more than 5 cm in length. For large cakes, squeeze out pieces of dough 10-15 cm long. Then moisten your fingers with clean water and gently give the eclairs a even shape before baking them.
Custard cakes should be baked in an oven preheated to 200 degrees for 10 minutes. High temperatures will help create rapid steam formation that makes the dough puff. Reduce the heat to 150 degrees and bake for another 30 minutes, until the shape of the eclairs becomes clear, and they themselves reach a golden brown color.
Cut one end of each cake with a knife. This allows steam to be released and prevents excessive dough moisture. Cool to room temperature. If you really want to make sure the dough is completely dry, you can put them back into the warm oven after turning it off. You can store empty eclairs in an airtight container for one day.
How to fill cakes
Use a bag with a small opening on the side or a pastry syringe to fill the chilled pastries with cream. Dip the top of each cake into the melted chocolate. You can add a little melted white chocolate to apply the pattern on top of the dark, but this is not necessary. A classic custard cake (a recipe at home) may include icing instead of chocolate.
Now it's time to showcase your delicious creations to your friends and family. After you have completely done the first eclairs on your own, you will approach baking with a new level of confidence and will feel ready to realize much greater fantasies. And the reviews of the hostesses are proof of this.
How can I add a recipe?
After you learn how to make a classic custard cake recipe at home, you can experiment in various ways. Try baking egg-shaped dough, for example. In addition, you can make round-shaped cakes (profiteroles), from which you can make Croquembush cake, if desired.
Useful tips: what a beginner confectioner needs to know
If you want to make cakes from scratch, first of all always cook the cream, preferably the day before, because it must cool completely before you start filling it with dough.
Dough eclairs can be baked in advance. You must cool them completely and store them in a bag or plastic container with the lid closed. Care must be taken not to crush or flatten them. They can be stored for several days, or you can freeze them for up to a month.
Eclairs are best eaten right away when they are just filled with cream, but they continue to remain delicious for a day or two. This, of course, applies to tubes without cream, covered only with glaze.
When the recipe for a custard cake at home comes to the use of possible flavors and toppings, you can be creative. Custard can be supplemented with various methods and ingredients: white, milk or dark chocolate, syrup, vanilla, instant coffee, caramel, pistachios, fresh raspberries. With a great desire, you can come up with many variations. The same is with the coating: classic glaze is more familiar, but why not add some fresh finely chopped fruit, nuts or pastry to it? Cakes will look even more attractive and festive.