June 19, 2010
Episode 5
Eclairs and Cream Puffs
Vanilla Eclairs and Chocolate Cream Puffs dipped in milk chocolate ganache
Ever wanted to know how those really fancy patisseries make those super tasty eclairs and cream puffs (aka profiteroles)? Well look no further because today’s delicious episode teaches you how to easily make pate a choux (the pastry itself) and the fillings (diplomat cream) for those desserts! It really isn’t that difficult just remember that the oven has to be really hot when you first put the pate a choux in so that it rises really quickly so it’s very important to use double sheet pans! Also after the first 20 minutes is up when you lower the temperature to 350 or 375 make sure to rotate your pans so neither pastry gets too dark on the bottom. If you have problems with your dough rising you might want to use more eggs – the eggs are really what gives this recipe the lift it needs. You can also try using more water than milk (just keep the ratio the same) as well as piping thicker lines and fuller pate a choux balls.
Here’s the recipe for the pate a choux dough and the recipe for the pastry cream / diplomat cream and with that enjoy the videos:
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The first time I have ever been successful at making these was after watching your series. Thanks for your easy to understand, entertaining and complete instruction. One question: How long to leave in the oven after dropping the temp to 375 degrees? Thanks for your answer… and I will add your blog to my facebook page !
@Barbara – I’m so glad I was able to help you make eclairs! They are tricky, and sometimes my still don’t come out just right. I’ve found that eggs are the key to making sure they rise, so taking them out of the recipe really isn’t possible.
After you drop the temp to 375 degrees you’re doing this to make sure the insides of the puffs are fully cooked. It should take about 10-20 minutes but the best way to check is to pull out a puff, let it cool, and taste it. If the sample keeps its shape and tastes cooked then the rest of them should be done too. I hope this helps! And thank you for your support on Facebook!
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Hi Chef! I made these for Mother’s Day, as well as your pancakes. They were a big hit! I wasn’t able to take a picture if the finished product! It was that good. I didn’t imagine how easy it actually is to make cream puffs. Although I ran in to trouble about the baking time. The recipe did not tell how long it would take for the puff to finish after lowering the temperature to 375 Fahrenheit. So when I took it out, it deflated… Also, can the pate a choux be frozen or refrigerated? If so, how long can it be stored? The same question goes with the pastry cream…
Thank you so much! I’ll be featuring you in my blog as soon as possible.