Homemade Chocolate Éclairs stuffed with Vanilla Custard – I Adore Food

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk 
• 1 cup cup heavy whipping cream 35% ()
• 0.3 cup granulated sugar white (caster if you have some)
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch 
• 1  vanilla extract cut in half and scraped (or 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract)
• 4  egg yolk 
• 0.5 cup butter 
• 1 cup water 
• 1 cup flour 
• 4 large eggs 
• 1.5 cup semi chocolate chips sweet

Equipment

• bowl
• baking sheet
• sauce pan
• baking paper
• oven
• knife
• whisk
• stand mixer

Directions

1. In a saucepan, combine milk and cream in a small saucepan. Using a sharp knife, split vanilla bean in half lengthways and scrape out seeds.
2. Add bean and seeds to milk mixture.
3. Place over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes or until hot (do not allow to boil).
4. Remove saucepan from heat.
5. Start by making the vanilla custard. In a heatproof medium bowl, whisk egg yolks, 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 1/3 cup of sugar until well combined. Start by taking about 1/2 cup of the milk mixture and mix it in your egg yolks.
6. Add another 1/2 cup and whisk constantly while doing so.. Slowly pour the rest of the milk mixture over egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly.
7. Return mixture to saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, for 15 to 20 minutes or until custard thickens and coats the back of a metal spoon (do not allow custard to boil, as it might curdle). Put in an airtight container and let it cool completely and put in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
8. Next, make the pastries. Start by putting the water and butter in a medium saucepan and heat up until the butter is completely melted.
9. Add the flour in and mix thoroughly until it becomes a ball of dough. Take off heat and put the dough in a stand mixer bowl. On medium speed, add in your 4 eggs one by one until well mixed. Put dough in a piping bag and on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet, pipe your eclairs, about 1 inch wide and 3 1/2 inch long.
10. Bake in a 425F preheated oven for about 20 to 25 minutes or until golden. Take out of oven and let them cool off.
11. In the meantime, melt your chocolate in a small saucepan on low heat, mixing frequently. Put your melted chocolate in a wide bowl, wide enough so you can dip your eclairs in it.
12. with a sharp knife, slice the top of your eclair from end to end, deep enough to be able to stuff it with a lot of custard but not all the way through.
13. Put your custard in a piping bag and pipe your eclairs. Careful pick them up one by one and dip the open part in chocolate to cover it completely.
14. Place on a serving plate and put in the fridge until about 10 minutes before your are ready to serve them.
15. Enjoy!