Basically, this is a Cream Puff Cake filled with Pastry Cream and topped with Chocolate Ganache! And, YES, it Is a little complicated and has MULTIPLE steps, but sometimes a challenge in fun! I’ve made pâte à choux many times. It is the basis of cream puffs, éclairs and Danish Puff. I’ve always added the eggs one at a time and stirred the mixture by hand. This recipe utilizes a mixer and to be truthful, I didn’t think the mixture was ever going to become smooth (it’s always takes awhile for this to happen when doing it by hand, too) but 3 minutes of machine mixing before the magic happened! I found the original recipe at food52.com.
Éclair Cake
Pastry Cream:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
4 large egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
Pâte à Choux:
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
5 large eggs (have an extra 2 on hand, just in case)
Chocolate Ganache:
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup) chopped dark or semisweet chocolate chips
Make the Pastry Cream: (This step can be done up to 2 days in advance.)
1. In a heatproof bowl, stir together the sugar and cornstarch to prevent lumping, thenadd yolks, and salt in a heatproof bowl.
2. Combine the milk, cream, and vanilla in a medium saucepan over medium heat and heat until hot.
3. While whisking, slowly stream about half of the hot liquid in the yolk mixture.
4. Pour this tempered yolk mixture into the pot with the rest of the milk mixture.
5. Cook over low to medium-low heat for 4 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until bubbling and thickened like pudding.
6. Turn off the heat, then mix in the butter.
7. If mixture is lumpy, strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof bowl, discarding any clumps caught in the sieve.
8. Cover the pastry cream with plastic wrap, pushing plastic wrap onto the pastry cream’s surface, to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until cold.
Make the Pâte à Choux:
9. In a medium saucepan, combine water, milk, butter, and salt. Bring to boil over medium heat.
10. Stir in all of the flour with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes a sticky paste and there’s a visible film of starch on the bottom of the pan, 2 to 3 minutes (mine was ready in about 1 minute).
11. Transfer the flour mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Whisk the eggs in a large liquid measuring cup.
12. With the mixer running on medium speed, add the eggs in slow, steady stream and continue mixing until totally incorporated, about 4 minutes total. Dip the paddle into the batter and lift it up—the batter should form a V shape that eventually breaks away from the batter in the bowl. If the dough is too stiff or pulls away too quickly, add another egg to loosen the consistency. Meta’s NOTE: The mixture will look like a lumpy mess for about the first 3 minutes and then it will smooth out.
Bake the Pâte à Choux:
13. Heat the oven to 375°F.
14. Get out an 8-inch square baking dish. Line a smaller-sized sheet pan with parchment paper. Using the baking dish as a guide, trace a square with pencil on the parchment, then flip the parchment. Repeat using another sheet of parchment and smaller-size sheet pan.
15. Pipe or spread the choux evenly inside those two squares, leaving a 1/2-inch or so border for the pastry to expand in the oven and fill out the squares.
16. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. (Don’t open the oven during the first 25 minutes, otherwise the choux will depuff.)
17. Transfer the baked choux squares to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Ganache:
18. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, bring the cream to a simmer.
19. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate and salt.
20. Wait a few minutes, then stir until the chocolate is silky smooth. Let cool until barely warm.
Assemble the Éclair Cake:
21. If needed, use a pair of scissors to trim the border of the choux squares so they can fit inside the baking dish. Meta’s NOTE: Despite leaving a border, my pastries expanded so I did trim them a bit and then fit them into an 9x13-inch dish.
22. Place one choux square at the bottom of the baking dish. Stir the pastry cream to smooth out, then evenly spread that on top.
23. Place the second choux square on top.
24. Spread the chocolate ganache on top.
25. Tightly cover the pan and refrigerate for 10 to 24 hours before slicing and serving.
Recipe without photos . . . Éclair Cake
Pastry Cream:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
4 large egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
Pâte à Choux:
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
5 large eggs (have an extra 2 on hand, just in case)
Chocolate Ganache:
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup) chopped dark or semisweet chocolate chips
Make the Pastry Cream: (This step can be done up to 2 days in advance.)
1. In a heatproof bowl, stir together the sugar and cornstarch to prevent lumping, thenadd yolks, and salt in a heatproof bowl.
2. Combine the milk, cream, and vanilla in a medium saucepan over medium heat and heat until hot.
3. While whisking, slowly stream about half of the hot liquid in the yolk mixture.
4. Pour this tempered yolk mixture into the pot with the rest of the milk mixture.
5. Cook over low to medium-low heat for 4 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until bubbling and thickened like pudding.
6. Turn off the heat, then mix in the butter.
7. If mixture is lumpy, strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof bowl, discarding any clumps caught in the sieve.
8. Cover the pastry cream with plastic wrap, pushing plastic wrap onto the pastry cream’s surface, to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until cold.
Make the Pâte à Choux:
9. In a medium saucepan, combine water, milk, butter, and salt. Bring to boil over medium heat.
10. Stir in all of the flour with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes a sticky paste and there’s a visible film of starch on the bottom of the pan, 2 to 3 minutes (mine was ready in about 1 minute).
11. Transfer the flour mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Whisk the eggs in a large liquid measuring cup.
12. With the mixer running on medium speed, add the eggs in slow, steady stream and continue mixing until totally incorporated, about 4 minutes total. Dip the paddle into the batter and lift it up—the batter should form a V shape that eventually breaks away from the batter in the bowl. If the dough is too stiff or pulls away too quickly, add another egg to loosen the consistency. Meta’s NOTE: The mixture will look like a lumpy mess for about the first 3 minutes and then it will smooth out.
Bake the Pâte à Choux:
13. Heat the oven to 375°F.
14. Get out an 8-inch square baking dish. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Using the baking dish as a guide, trace two squares with pencil on the parchment, then flip the parchment.
15. Pipe or spread the choux evenly inside those two squares, leaving a 1/2-inch or so border for the pastry to expand in the oven and fill out the squares.
16. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. (Don’t open the oven during the first 25 minutes, otherwise the choux will depuff.)
17. Transfer the baked choux squares to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Ganache:
18. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, bring the cream to a simmer.
19. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate and salt.
20. Wait a few minutes, then stir until the chocolate is silky smooth. Let cool until barely warm.
Assemble the Éclair Cake:
21. If needed, use a pair of scissors to trim the border of the choux squares so they can fit inside the baking dish. Meta’s NOTE: Despite leaving a border, my pastries expanded so I did trim them a bit and then fit them into an 9x13-inch dish.
22. Place one choux square at the bottom of the baking dish. Stir the pastry cream to smooth out, then evenly spread that on top.
23. Place the second choux square on top.
24. Spread the chocolate ganache on top.
25. Tightly cover the pan and refrigerate for 10 to 24 hours before slicing and serving.
