mudbug
Chef Extraordinaire
I usually double this recipe. The pastry is the same for creme puffs.
Filling
1 package (3.5 oz.) choc pudding mix (instant's OK, but not as good)
2 cups milk
Pastry
1 stick butter
1 cup water
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup AP flour
4 medium eggs
Frosting
2 T butter
2 oz (2 squares) semisweet chocolate
1 cup powdered sugar
2 T milk
1 t vanilla
To prepare filling, cook pudding according to pkg directions and chill for an hour.
To prepare pastry, in heavy saucepan, heat butter, water, and salt over medium-high heat until mixture boils and butter melts.
Reduce heat to low. Vigorously stir in flour all at once until mixture forms a ball.
Transfer pastry to a bowl and cool for 5 minutes. Stir in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Preheat oven to 400F. Drop dough into 12 mounds, about 5 inches apart on greased baking sheet.
Spread each mound into a 4 x 1/2 inch rectangle, piling dough on top and slightly rounding sides. [NOTE: don't drive yourself nuts trying to get the perfect shape. It's gonna be good anyway. Wetting your hands helps for this step]
Bake until golden brown, 35 minutes. Remove from oven; make a 3-inch slit on side of each eclair. Reduce oven temp to 375 and bake for another 10 minutes (helps dry the interiors out). Transfer to wire rack to cool.
Prepare frosting by heating butter and chocolate over low heat, stir until melted. Remove from heat and stir in sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth. (You could also add a tad of creme de menthe, Framboise, or Cointreau!)
Slice eclairs in half. Spoon about a tablespoon of filling into each bottom half and replace tops. Spread tops with frosting.
In the unlikely event that you don't eat these ALL GONE, they keep nicely in the fridge for a couple of days.
Filling
1 package (3.5 oz.) choc pudding mix (instant's OK, but not as good)
2 cups milk
Pastry
1 stick butter
1 cup water
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup AP flour
4 medium eggs
Frosting
2 T butter
2 oz (2 squares) semisweet chocolate
1 cup powdered sugar
2 T milk
1 t vanilla
To prepare filling, cook pudding according to pkg directions and chill for an hour.
To prepare pastry, in heavy saucepan, heat butter, water, and salt over medium-high heat until mixture boils and butter melts.
Reduce heat to low. Vigorously stir in flour all at once until mixture forms a ball.
Transfer pastry to a bowl and cool for 5 minutes. Stir in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Preheat oven to 400F. Drop dough into 12 mounds, about 5 inches apart on greased baking sheet.
Spread each mound into a 4 x 1/2 inch rectangle, piling dough on top and slightly rounding sides. [NOTE: don't drive yourself nuts trying to get the perfect shape. It's gonna be good anyway. Wetting your hands helps for this step]
Bake until golden brown, 35 minutes. Remove from oven; make a 3-inch slit on side of each eclair. Reduce oven temp to 375 and bake for another 10 minutes (helps dry the interiors out). Transfer to wire rack to cool.
Prepare frosting by heating butter and chocolate over low heat, stir until melted. Remove from heat and stir in sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth. (You could also add a tad of creme de menthe, Framboise, or Cointreau!)
Slice eclairs in half. Spoon about a tablespoon of filling into each bottom half and replace tops. Spread tops with frosting.
In the unlikely event that you don't eat these ALL GONE, they keep nicely in the fridge for a couple of days.