Have these yummy treats anytime with this wonderful recipe! Eclairs take a little time and care but the procedures are easy.

Steps

1. For the Eclair shells:
2. Combine water and butter in a large stock pot. Bright to a rolling boil to evenly distribute the fats.
3. Add the flour to the boiling water/fat mixture. While stirring constantly with a wooden paddle or french rolling pin, heat for an additional 2 minutes (to denature the flour). Place the heated mixture into a mixing bowl fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed for approximately 2 minutes until most of the steam dissipates.
4. **In this next step the eggs are a variable so you may use less or need more depending on how much water has been cooked out of the flour. Proper consistency of the dough is reached when the dough becomes smooth, shiny, moist and forms a hook on the end of the paddle when turned upright.**
5. Add ⅓ of the whole eggs, blend, scrape the bowl and mix until smooth in medium speed.
6. Add the second ⅓ of the whole eggs, blend, scrape the bowl and mix until smooth in medium speed.
7. Add/save the remaining eggs to produce proper consistency in the dough.
8. Using a pastry bag fitted with with a large round tip pipe out 3in lines of dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
9. Bake at 425*F for 10 minutes; then reduce the heat to 375*F until pieces are well browned and almost dry inside approximately another 10-15 minutes.
10. Cool the pieces at room temperature before freezing or filling.
11. Yields: 3# pate-a Choux dough
12. For the Pastry Cream:
13. Using a heavy saucepan; dissolve the sugar in the milk and bring to a boil over medium heat
14. Mix the sugar, salt, and cornstarch in a bowl. When the milk begins to simmer add the yolks to the sugar/sat/cornstarch mixture (be careful not to add the yolks too early or you will cause “sugar burn”).
15. Temper the yolks/sugar/starch paste by slowly adding ¼ of the hot milk while mixing with a wire whisk.
16. Add the tempered mixture to the remaining milk and heat the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Stir constantly with a wire whisk to avoid lumps, until the mixture thickens.
17. Remove from the heat and dip in an ice bath to stop the cooking.
18. Add the vanilla and butter and stir until melted.
19. Cool the pastry cream in an ice bath, cover and refrigerate until needed
20. For egg nog flavored pastry cream substitute store bought egg nog for the milk in this recipe. Great for the holiday season!!
21. Yields 1⅞# pastry cream
22. To fill the eclair shells:
23. Using a skewer or chopstick, poke a hole in one end of the eclair shell. Wiggle the skewer or chopstick around to hollow out the eclair shell.
24. Using pastry bag fitted with a long syringe tip pipe in the pastry cream filling.
25. Ice with cocoa fudge icing (recipe located in my dessert folder)