These chocolate eclairs have our favorite ingredient in all three of its components. Enjoy during a tea party with fellow chocolate-lovers!
It’s been a hot minute since I last made choux pastries huh? Looking back at the struggles I had in the past makes me cringe a little, because I remember I had to learn my choux-making the hard way. Today, I am happy to report that my experience in making these Triple Chocolate Eclairs were not difficult to me anymore. I still need a lot of practice though!
To this day, it amazes me to think that I had more challenges in making choux pastries than making macarons. Some people find choux so easy!
Sometimes I wonder if taking classes for these things would make any difference. I mean, classes are expensive but they aren’t a guarantee that you’ll learn anything new. It all depends on your luck with your instructor. I mean, I’m doing okay discovering things on my own. I enjoy it, in fact. But how nice would it have been to have a grandma who knew how to bake? I feel like grandmas make the best teachers.
Anyway, these Triple Chocolate Eclairs from the Country Cleaver blog are made up of three chocolate components: the shells of choux themselves are chocolate, and the filling is a whipped and airy chocolate cream. The last part is the chocolate ganache on top, which just adds more flavor and aesthetic to the eclairs. Yumyum!
Recipe notes:
My Triple Chocolate Eclairs came out delicious as a whole, but I wasn’t exactly happy about the texture of my choux pastries. They didn’t dry out as much as I feel they should, and I think it might be the baking time that’s an issue from the original recipe. Seems to be too short. Either that or my oven is registering a lower temperature when in use.
The choux recipe is easy, but it seems to taste just a tad too eggy. It’s not noticeable when you’re eating the eclairs as a whole though. The rest of the components of the Triple Chocolate Eclairs were easy as well. I decided to add some chopped pistachios on top of the chocolate glaze for a pop of color, and well, pistachios go great with chocolate!
I feel like this is the sort of recipe anyone would be proud of putting together. It’s one of those harder-than-it-actually-is recipes that looks impressive and tastes real good once assembled together. Personally, I am quite happy with this recipe because the results are a vast improvement from all my past failings. Soon, I hope I can make a spectacular eclair.
It helps a great deal that my brothers gave these two thumbs up. The filling is a delightful pop of chocolatey creaminess that just makes these Triple Chocolate Eclairs a joy to devour. I know I can still do better though!
Triple Chocolate Eclairs
Makes 14 to 16 eclairs, depending on how long you pipe them
Ingredients
For the choux pastry
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ cup water
- 6 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs, room temperature
For the chocolate whipped cream
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
- 3 Tablespoons confectioner's sugar, sifted
- 1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
For the chocolate ganache
- 57 grams 2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 3 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- About 3 Tablespoons chopped pistachios, for topping
Instructions
Make the choux pastry
- 1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk together flour and cocoa powder. Make sure all the ingredients you need to make the choux pastry have been measured out and are within reach from the stove.
- 2. In a saucepan over medium heat, mix together water, butter, sugar, and salt to boil. Without turning off the flames, remove pan from heat and stir in the cocoa-flour mixture, just until the dry ingredients have melted into the wet. Return to heat and mix for 1 to 2 minutes until the dough is smooth and forms a ball. Turn off the heat and place the hot dough into the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl if using a hand mixer) and let rest for 5 minutes.
- 3. Beat the eggs into the mixture, one at a time, until it becomes smooth and glossy. Once all the eggs have been added, it should drop from the spoon in a thick creamy blob.
- 4. Spoon dough into a pastry bag and cut out the corner. Pipe into 1-inch by 4 or 5-inch strips.
- 5. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 7 minutes, then reduce oven to (180°C) 350°F, continuing to bake for 30 minutes. Turn off the oven and let the shells rest in the residual heat to dry out for at least 10 minutes before removing to cool.
Make the chocolate whipped cream
- 6. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or using a hand mixer), whip together whipping cream, sugar, and cocoa powder on medium speed until light and fluffy. The cream should be able to hold medium peaks. Do not over mix.
Make the chocolate ganache
- 7. If using the microwave method, place chocolate and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl and heat on high for 30 seconds. Stir together until chocolate is mixed and melted completely. Repeat in 15 second intervals if necessary. Otherwise, you can use the double broiler method and place the bowl of chocolate and heavy cream on top of simmering water. Melt until smooth.
To assemble
- 8. Slice the cooled eclairs in half. Dip the top half into the chocolate ganache and let let rest chocolate side up on a parchment paper. Sprinkle chopped pistachios on top before the chocolate sets completely.
- 9. Transfer the chocolate whipped cream into a piping bag. You can use a star tip for a decorative filling, otherwise you can just cut off the corner of the piping bag. Fill the bottom half with the chocolate whipped cream, just enough to cover the entire surface. (Remember you still have to fill the other eclairs and this makes just enough to fill every one.) Top with the chocolate dipped top. Repeat until all eclairs have been assembled. Serve immediately. Leftovers may be refrigerated but these are best served fresh.
Notes
