Is it a chocolate eclair?
Is it a cream puff?
No, it’s a combination of the two with an easy delicious filling.
These will be the crowd pleaser at you next event!
You only need four main ingredients, which I know you will most likely have in your kitchen!
What do I need?
Cold water
Butter
Plain flour
Eggs
What do I need for the filling?
A packet of butterscotch instant pudding
Cream
Milk
Now the filling may be a little controversial – and you can quite simply fill them with freshly whipped cream – but you have to try this idea at least once before you knock it down.
What should I use as a topping?
Chocolate!
You could choose either milk chocolate or dark chocolate – it doesn’t matter -just make sure it’s a good quality chocolate like Whittakers.
I know a lot of you will tell me you use your cake mixer to beat the eggs into the cooled mixture. But I truly believe this results in a tough shell rather than a soft bite. Get your muscles ready and get your arm work out in for the day – and make these using one of my danish dough whisks. It’s much easier than using a wooden spoon and results in a better puff than a cake mixer.
Timing is everything
I suggest making the initial dough and while it cools make the filling.
Place the filling in the fridge and while it cools add the eggs to the dough. Once the puffs have been removed from the oven and are cooling, melt the chocolate for the topping.
Dip the puffs in the chocolate and allow to set.
Once the pastry is completely cool and the chocolate is set – add the filling.
Keep refrigerated until you serve them.
Chocolate Puff Eclairs
Ingredients
Puff
- 1 cup cold water
- 100 grams butter
- 1 cup plain flour
- 3 eggs
Filling
- 1 packet butterscotch instant pudding (70 gram packet)
- 1 cup cream
- 1 cup milk
Topping
- 250 grams good quality chocolate (you could choose either dark or milk chocolate)
Instructions
Puff
- Preheat the oven to 200℃ and prepare you oven trays.
- Place the water and butter in a pot and bring to a rolling boil (a vigorous bubbling boil).
- Remove from the heat and immediately add the flour using your dough whisk to beat the mixture until it creates a ball and leaves the side of the pot.
- Leave to cool for 5 minutes. This is a good time to make the filling and place in the fridge to set.
- Once the mixture the pot has cooled add the eggs one at a time. Beating well after each addition (the mixture should ball and leave the pot sides before adding the next egg.It's a good arm workout!
- The mixture is ready when you hold it up to the light and see a smooth glossy texture.
- Depending on what size puff you desire – use either pudding spoons or teaspoons to spoon the mixture onto lined trays.
- Dip your spoons into a cup of cold water every now and then to stop the mixture sticking to your spoon.
- Bake for 30 minutes (set your timer) at 200℃.Then turn down to 100℃ for a further 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and rest on the tray for 5 minutes.Then transfer to a cooling rack and poke a hole in the bottom of each puff. You want your hole to be about 1cm in circumference (big enough to stick the piping tip into).
- Leave to cool until completely cold to touch and prepare the topping.
Filling
- To make the filling, pour the cream and milk into a medium sized bowl.
- Open the sachet of butterscotch instant pudding and sprinkle over the surface.
- Whisk until it begins to thicken and place in the fridge to set.
Topping
- Use the 'double boiler' method to melt your chocolate for the topping.Place the chocolate in the bowl over the water and stir until melted.
- Using clean hands dip the top ⅓ of each puff into the chocolate and place back on the drying rack to set.
To Complete
- Once the chocolate is set on each puff – place the filling into a piping bag and fill each puff with the delicious filling.
- Place onto your serving plate with the chocolate at the top.
- Makes 10-20 puffs (depending on your spoon size and your desired puff size)