Small-Batch Chocolate Eclairs

📝 Ingredients

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup (half a stick) unsalted butter
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup (63 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 ounce cream cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/4 + 1 tablespoon cup heavy cream

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Place a rack in the center and upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. 2To make the pate a choux, combine the water, butter, and salt in a medium saucepan, over medium heat and bring to a rolling boil.
3. 3Remove the pan from the heat, and add the flour and sugar all at once, using a spatula to stir quickly and vigorously.
4. 4Return the pan to the burner and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture smooths to a glossy consistency and pulls away from the sides of the pan. The mixture will also steam and cook off some of the water.
5. 5Remove the pan from the heat, and let the mixture cool for 10 minutes. The mixture will still be warm but place in a medium bowl. Use a spatula to stir the mixture around the bowl to release some of the heat and steam
6. 6In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or with an electric hand mixer, beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing for 1 full minute between each addition. The mixture will look curdled with the first egg. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure all of the ingredients are mixed evenly. The batter will be smooth and glossy after the last egg is added. Beat for another minutes after adding the last egg.
7. 7Spoon the batter into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. I used Ateco #869. Pipe into 2 1/2 or 3-inch logs set about 2-inches apart.
8. 8Bake for 16-18 minutes, rotating the pan after 10 minutes of baking if necessary. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
9. 9While the pastry bakes, make the whipped cream. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a clean bowl with an electric hand mixer beat cream cheese around a bowl to ensure it is softened. Add 1/4 cup of heavy cream and beat to slowly incorporate the cream cheese into the heavy cream. Add an additional 1/4 cup heavy cream and mix. Followed by all of the remaining crew, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Beat to stiff peaks.
10. 10To make the ganache bring heavy cream to a simmer. Pour the cream over the chocolate chips in a small bowl and allow to sit for 5 minutes before whisking to smooth and glossy.
11. 11I like to fill the eclairs no more than 1 hour before serving. To fill the eclairs, fill a piping bag (fitted with a filling tip if you have one) with whipped cream. Insert the top all the way into one end of the eclair, squeeze the piping bag while slowly removing the tip.
12. 12Dip the top of each eclair into the chocolate ganache and allow to rest on a baking sheet until serving. Refrigerate the eclairs to set the chocolate if you’d like.