Banana-Chocolate Éclairs

Ingredients

• 3 medium bananas thinly sliced quartered
• 12 servings warm chocolate glaze 
• 2  egg whites 
• 3 large eggs 
• 12 servings vanilla pastry cream 
• 1.3 cups water 
• 11 ounce piecrust mix 
• 11 ounce piecrust mix 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• baking sheet
• sauce pan
• oven
• blender
• hand mixer
• wooden spoon
• stand mixer
• ziploc bags
• pastry bag
• serrated knife

Directions

1. Bring 1 1/3 cups water to a boil in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in piecrust mix, beating vigorously with a wooden spoon 1 minute or until mixture leaves sides of pan.
2. Place dough in bowl of a heavy-duty electric stand mixer; cool 5 minutes. Beat dough at medium speed with electric mixer using paddle attachmet.
3. Add eggs and egg whites, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. (If desired, eggs and egg whites may be added 1 at a time and beaten vigorously with a wooden spoon instead of using the mixer.)
4. Spoon dough into a large heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag. (A large pastry bag may also be used.)
5. Cut a 1 1/2-inch opening across one corner of the bag. Pipe 4-inch-long strips of dough 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.
6. Bake at 425 for 20 to 25 minutes or until puffed and golden. (Do not underbake.)
7. Remove from oven, and cut a small slit in side of each clair to allow steam to except. Cool on wire racks.
8. Split clairs using a serrated knife, starting at 1 long side without cutting through opposite side. Pull out and discard soft dough inside.
9. Stir bananas into Vanilla Pastry Cream. Carefully spoon about 1/4 cup pastry cream mixture into each clair; close top of each clair over fillling. Top evenly with Chocolate Glaze and drizzle with Chocolate Glaze. Chill clairs for 4 hours.