Eclairs, which are a work of French confectionery art, have long gained immense popularity in the domestic space. In almost every cafe and shop you can meet a huge assortment of these products with a wide variety of fillings and additions.
Unfortunately, only a few hostesses decide to make this dessert with their own hands, expecting that the process will be too complicated. Although in reality this is just a common stereotype. In fact, the self-cooking of homemade eclairs with custard is a completely simple process that absolutely everyone can do. Only one thing is important - to familiarize yourself in advance with all the secrets of the competent creation of such an appetizing culinary masterpiece.
Delicious eclairs with custard is not necessary to cook at all for a solemn occasion, because this delicacy is in perfect harmony with a cup of tea or coffee, even for breakfast. Still, the French know a lot about cooking! Of course, these cakes are a bit capricious in cooking, but if you follow the recipe for eclairs with custard with accuracy, everything will turn out even the first time.
Goodies Description
Even experienced housewives do not always have choux pastry right away. But this does not mean at all that its preparation is a too laborious and complicated process. Just before you start it, you should learn about certain subtleties and tricks that will help to make really tasty, crunchy, melting in your mouth eclairs with custard at home.
Among the components included in the recipe for pastries, eggs, butter, water, flour, sugar and salt are traditionally used. And if you replace the liquid with fat milk, eclairs will turn out even more tender and softer.
Secrets
Having prepared the products, be sure to read the simple recommendations of experienced chefs, with which you will be able to easily prepare a delicious dessert.
- In no case do not neglect the sifting procedure of flour. Otherwise, you will get a heterogeneous dough with unpleasant lumps, and the cakes themselves will come out uneven.
- Flour must fall into the stewpan all at once. Many do not pay attention to this simple advice, as a result of which the powder is on the stove. To avoid such an oversight, pre-sift the flour onto the parchment, and then, gently bending it, pour the ingredient in a stream.
- Add eggs should be when the dough is already cooked. Of course, you need to put them after the pan is on the stove. But the dough itself should have approximately room temperature. Otherwise, the eggs simply boil. That is why, if necessary, the mass should be pre-cooled.
- The added eggs should be warm. This item is very important. If you forgot to get the eggs out of the refrigerator first, then at least wash them in warm water.
- Engaged in the preparation of custard eclairs, it is best to refuse the use of a mixer. When adding various ingredients, just stir the mixture. Otherwise, the mass will turn out to be too liquid, because of which the cakes will not keep their shape.
- Add soft, but not melted butter to the water. This product should soften naturally, gradually, so that the dough is truly tender.
- Bake cakes should be exclusively from a warm, still cold dough. Only in this case your products will turn out so tender that they will melt in your mouth.
- Cook eclairs in a hot oven. Take care of the temperature of the furnace should be preliminary. After making the dough and forming the cakes, be prepared to immediately send them to the oven. First, eclairs must be baked at maximum temperature, and then reduce the power to 180-190 degrees. This is the only way to achieve the necessary crisp on pastries.
- One last important tip: don’t open the oven while baking pastries. Otherwise, the dough will simply settle, and the products will turn into a shapeless mass.
Now you know about all the intricacies of cooking delicious French eclairs with custard. Now it remains only to take note of the appropriate recipe and, finally, treat your household to goodies.
Essential Ingredients
So, if you still decide to cook delicious crunchy eclairs with a delicate filling in your kitchen, prepare the products in advance. For the test you will need:
- 100 g butter;
- 4 eggs;
- a quarter teaspoon of salt;
- 150 g of flour;
- 250 ml of water.
And for the cream, take:
- 3 eggs;
- 2 tablespoons of flour;
- 50 g butter;
- a glass of sugar;
- 10 g of vanillin;
- 0.5 l of milk.
It is best to get all the components out of the cold in advance so that they all reach room temperature - it will be much easier to mix them. Pay particular attention to the quality of butter and flour. The latter must be of the highest grade. As for the oil, it must be natural. The spread, which includes vegetable fats, is categorically not suitable for creating this dessert. Is it worth talking about cheap margarine ?!
Custard eclairs: step by step
With this simple recipe, you will be able to make cakes that will be stored for up to three days in a plastic bag or for several months in a freezer. If you make blanks for dessert for the future, they will be an excellent basis for whip up goodies. For example, in case of a visit by unexpected guests.
Step 1. The preparation of dessert should begin, of course, with the test. First, pour the prepared water into the pan, add salt and oil to it. Put the mixture on the stove and bring to a boil, constantly stirring it. Gently pour all the flour into the boiled liquid. In this case, do not forget to stir the mass all the time to avoid lumps. And to finally get rid of them, use a fork. Boil the mass for two to three minutes, then remove from the stove.
Step 2. After the dough has cooled slightly, insert the eggs into it one by one. After each addition, mix thoroughly. As a result, you should get a homogeneous, rather viscous mixture.
Step 3. Prepare a baking sheet, covering it with baking paper and greasing with a piece of butter. Shape the eclairs with a pastry bag or plain spoon. Bake items for half an hour. Cook cakes at a temperature of 220 degrees for 10 minutes, and the remaining time at 190.
Filling
In the meantime, get ready to cook custard for future eclairs.
Step 4. In a saucepan, combine all the eggs and sugar, stirring them well. Then carefully add flour and knead the mass so that there are no lumps left in it. Then add warm milk to the mixture and place the stewpan on the stove. While the mass is boiling, stir it constantly. After it warms up, enter the butter and vanillin. Whisk all components carefully with a whisk and leave to cool.
Eclair assembly
Step 5. After the baked goods and custard have cooled, you can proceed to the formation of cakes. Fill the pastry bag with mass and, carefully making holes, enter the filling into each eclair. In extreme cases, you can simply cut your workpieces along and with a spoon grease each half.
Cooked eclairs with custard can be served right on the table. By the way, if you notice, then there is nothing complicated in the process. Surely you will agree that such products can be easily prepared at least every day.
Cooking Eclairs with Rye Flour Custard
Such a dough is usually used to make profiteroles with savory filling. But even in eclairs, such an unusual combination turns out to be fabulously tasty and unusual. Such products go well with custard, supplemented with, for example, prunes, cherries, strawberries or cream cheese. These cakes get a very unusual taste, with a charming acidity.
Structure
To prepare such a custard dough you will need:
- 100 g whole rye flour from whole grains;
- 2 eggs;
- 0.2 l of water;
- 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil;
- a pinch of salt.
Course of action
First of all, turn on the oven. Combine water, salt and oil in a saucepan. Put the mixture on the stove, heat and add flour. Then remove the cooked mass from the fire, carefully stir it until smooth and leave aside for cooling. After the dough has cooled, add eggs to it one at a time and transfer the mass to a bag. Form neat eclairs, about 7-8 cm long.
Bake the cakes until cooked in the same way as in the previous recipe. And the cooled eclairs fill with custard. By the way, you can also decorate your custard cakes, like products on the shelves of shops. To do this, you can use sugar fudge, coconut, grated chocolate or icing. But, of course, it looks the best, and it is glaze that combines with a gentle filler. In its preparation, the simplest recipe will help you.
Glaze for eclairs
You will need:
- 50 g butter;
- 2 tablespoons of sour cream;
- the same amount of cocoa;
- 3 tablespoons of sugar.
Instead of the last three ingredients, you can take a simple bar of chocolate.
Transfer the sour cream to the stewpan and add sugar to it, and then cocoa. Stir the components carefully and place the mixture on the stove. After the mass becomes hot, send softened butter to it. Cook the mixture until it melts, and the glaze itself becomes uniform and smooth. Then remove it from the stove and let it cool slightly.
Gently dip each eclair with custard into the prepared glaze and turn it over. Stacking decorated cakes is best on a wire rack so that excess chocolate does not stick to the bottom.
By the way, photos of eclairs with custard will help you in decorating your dessert. They will tell you how easy it is to decorate a cooked delicacy at the lowest cost.