Espresso Eclairs

Airy pastry filled with vanilla cream and dipped in a chocolate espresso ganache.

Prep Time45

Cook Time40

Chilling Time1

Total Time2 25

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: French

Place 2 cups of whole milk in a medium saucepan over medium high heat, stirring consistently and as soon as the milk begins to boil, remove from saucepan from the heat
In a large bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt
Whisk in 4 egg yolks until everything is well combined and smooth
Slowly drizzle the hot milk into the whipped yolks, stirring constantly, until everything is fully combined
Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and return it to the stovetop over medium high heat until it begins to gently boil
Whisk consistently until the sauce thickens into a pudding like consistency
Remove the pastry cream from heat and transfer it into a glass bowl
Whisk in the vanilla extract and 4 tablespoons of softened butter until the filling appears smooth and creamy
Cover with plastic wrap, gently pressing down so that the plastic wrap sits directly on top of the filling
Refrigerate the pastry cream until fully chilled

Combine 1/2 cup of water, 1/2 cup of milk, 8 tablespoons of butter, 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat
Once the mixture begins to boil, remove the saucepan from heat and stir in 1 cup of all purpose flour with a wooden spoon
Once the flour is completely incorporated, return the saucepan to medium heat for about two minutes stirring with the wooden spoon constantly
*You will know that the pastry dough is ready when a thin film begins to form on the bottom of your saucepan. At this time, remove the saucepan from heat
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Transfer the pastry dough into a large bowl and mix with a hand mixer for about 90 second to cool the dough a bit
Add the 4 large eggs (one at a time) mixing with a hand mixer until each egg is fully incorporated and the dough appears smooth
Transfer the pastry dough into a pastry bag with a 1/2" round tip. If you do not have a pastry bag, use a gallon size plastic bag and cut a small corner off
Pipe 4" long strips over a silicone lined baking sheet keeping them about two inches apart
Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 325 degrees and bake for an additional 30 minutes or until the pastry shell is golden brown and fully puffed
Remove the baked pastry shells from the oven and transfer them onto a cooling rack

Place 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream into a small saucepan over medium heat and when it is just beginning to simmer, pour the hot heavy cream over 2/3 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips
Let the chocolate and heavy cream sit untouched for two minutes
Add 1/2 teaspoon of espresso powder and whisk until smooth and glossy

Remove the fully cooled filling from the refrigerator and transfer it into a pastry bag with a small tip
Poke a few small holes on the underside of each pastry shell with a sharp knife
Gently insert the pastry tip into each hole and press a small amount of filling into the shell
Remove any additional filling from the exterior of the shells
Gently dip the tops of each shell into the chocolate ganache and allow excess to drip off
Transfer the filled and dipped eclairs onto the cooling rack and chill them in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve