New Orleans Café au Lait Éclairs

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Medium heavy-bottomed saucepan
• •Stand mixer with paddle attachment (or wooden spoon and strong arm)
• •Piping bags with round tips (1/2-inch for shells, small for filling)
• •Two rimmed baking sheets
• •Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
• •Fine-mesh strainer
• •Wire cooling rack

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare your mise en place

   Set yourself up for success before you start. Measure your flour into a bowl. Crack your eggs into a measuring cup and beat them lightly. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats. Fit a piping bag with a large round tip, about 1/2 inch diameter. Choux moves fast once you begin, and you don't want to be hunting for ingredients.

   Room temperature eggs incorporate better into the paste. Pull them from the fridge 30 minutes ahead.
2. 2

   Build the choux base

   Combine the water, milk, butter pieces, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the butter melts completely. Then crank up the heat and bring it to a full rolling boil. You want all that butter emulsified into the liquid before you add the flour.

3. 3

   Add flour and cook the paste

   Remove the pan from heat the moment it boils. Add all the flour at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon. It will look like a disaster for about ten seconds, then suddenly come together into a shaggy ball. Return the pan to medium heat and keep stirring. You're drying out the paste now. Cook for two to three minutes until a thin film forms on the bottom of the pan and the dough pulls away cleanly from the sides. It should smell slightly nutty, almost like pie crust.

   That film on the pan bottom tells you the excess moisture has cooked off. This step is what gives your éclairs structure.
4. 4

   Incorporate eggs gradually

   Transfer the hot paste to a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or use a large bowl and a wooden spoon if you've got strong arms. Let it cool for two minutes, stirring occasionally to release steam. Add the beaten eggs about a quarter at a time, mixing until each addition is fully absorbed before adding more. The paste will look broken and curdled after each addition, then suddenly come back together smooth and glossy. This is normal. Keep going.

   You might not need all the egg. Stop when the paste falls from your spoon in a thick, slow ribbon and holds a soft peak when you lift the paddle.
5. 5

   Pipe the éclairs

   Preheat your oven to 425°F. Transfer the warm paste to your prepared piping bag. Pipe 5-inch lengths onto your lined baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Hold the bag at a 45-degree angle, apply steady pressure, and cut the paste cleanly with a quick flick of the wrist. You should get 12 éclairs. Dip your finger in water and smooth down any peaks or tails. Brush lightly with egg wash, being careful not to let it drip onto the parchment where it will glue your pastries down.

6. 6

   Bake in two stages

   Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes. The high heat creates steam inside the paste, which is what makes the éclairs puff dramatically. Then reduce the temperature to 350°F without opening the door and bake another 20 to 25 minutes until deep golden brown and completely dry. They should feel light and hollow when you tap them. Turn off the oven, crack the door open, and let them sit for 10 minutes. This slow cooling prevents collapse.

   Never open the oven door during the first 25 minutes. The steam escapes and your éclairs deflate. I've seen it break hearts.
7. 7

   Make the chicory pastry cream

   While the shells cool, start your filling. Combine the milk and chicory coffee in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until pale and slightly thickened, about two minutes. Whisk in the cornstarch and salt until smooth. When the milk steams, pour about half of it slowly into the yolk mixture while whisking constantly. This tempers the eggs so they don't scramble.

   Brew your chicory coffee strong, about double normal strength. The milk will dilute it, and you want that roasted bitterness to come through.
8. 8

   Cook until thick

   Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens dramatically and starts to bubble. Keep cooking and whisking for one full minute after it bubbles. This cooks out the raw starch taste. The cream should coat a spoon thickly and hold its shape when you draw a line through it with your finger.

9. 9

   Finish and chill the cream

   Remove from heat and whisk in the cold butter one piece at a time until melted and incorporated. Stir in the vanilla. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least two hours, or until completely cold and set. The cream will thicken significantly as it chills.

10. 10

    Prepare the chocolate glaze

    Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream, corn syrup, and chicory coffee together until just simmering. Pour over the chocolate and let sit for one minute, then stir gently from the center outward until completely smooth and glossy. The glaze should be warm and pourable but thick enough to coat. Let it cool for about ten minutes before using.

11. 11

    Fill the éclairs

    Poke three small holes in the bottom of each éclair using a chopstick or the end of a piping tip. Fit a piping bag with a small round tip and fill with the chilled pastry cream. Insert the tip into each hole and squeeze until you feel the éclair get heavy and the cream just starts to peek out. You want them generously filled. Don't be shy.

    If you don't have a piping tip small enough, cut a tiny corner off a zip-lock bag. Works just as well.
12. 12

    Glaze and serve

    Dip the top of each filled éclair into the chocolate glaze, letting the excess drip off for a few seconds. Place glazed side up on a wire rack and let the chocolate set for about 15 minutes at room temperature, or speed things up with five minutes in the refrigerator. Serve the same day for the best texture, when the shells are still crisp and the cream is silky cold.

Chef Tips

• •Community Coffee with Chicory is what we use at Lagniappe. It's a Louisiana institution. If you can't find chicory coffee, French Market brand ships nationwide, or add a pinch of instant espresso to strong dark roast for a similar bitter depth.
• •The pastry cream can be made up to three days ahead. Keep it refrigerated with plastic wrap pressed to the surface. Give it a good whisk before piping to loosen it up.
• •Choux shells freeze beautifully for up to a month. Bake them, cool completely, then freeze in a single layer. Re-crisp in a 350°F oven for five minutes before filling.
• •If your glaze gets too thick while you're working, set the bowl over barely simmering water and stir until it loosens again. Don't add liquid or it will seize.

Advance Preparation

• •Pastry cream can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated with plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface.
• •Unfilled baked shells keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day, or frozen for up to 1 month. Re-crisp in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes before filling.
• •Chocolate glaze can be made a few hours ahead and gently rewarmed over simmering water when ready to use.
• •Filled and glazed éclairs are best eaten within 4 hours. After that, the shells begin to soften.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 135g)