National Chocolate Éclair Day - 2012

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By Chef Diane

I have a wonderful Uncle Jack, but, he isn't really my uncle.  He is a friend of my father's, and has known him since before I was born, so I call him uncle.   Every time he came to visit, I would make him Chocolate Éclairs.  He always made such a fuss over them, eat them all day long, and wouldn't share with anyone.  These days, the only time I fix them is when he comes for a visit.  I have given his wife the recipe a few times, but she still hasn't made any for him.  They should really complicated and exotic to make, but actually they are really quite easy.  In fact, last year when I went to his home, we made a batch together and they turned out great.

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You don't need any special tools to make them yourself.  They may not look quite like the ones from the bakery, but they will taste heavenly all same.

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The word comes from French éclair 'flash of lightning.'  They probably got that name because when you eat them, they will be gone in a flash!  The éclair probably originated in France during the nineteenth century. It is a popular type of cake served all over the world. The word is first attested both in English and in French in the 1860s.  In some parts of the United States, Long Johns are marketed under the name éclairs, though the two are not identical. A Long John uses donut pastry and is typically filled with vanilla pudding or custard, making it a simpler and inexpensive alternative to the éclair.   The French call the dough of these treats “choux,” which is carefully baked to allow for a hollow interior. Then cream, custard, or purée is piped into its center and it is topped off with fondant icing.

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Today is National Chocolate Éclair Day.  Below is the recipe I have used for  years, and it never fails.  If you don't have time to bake your own, head to your nearest bakery and pick up some for dessert, or breakfast, or any time of the day.

Éclairs:

Shell:

1 stick butter (real butter)

1 cup water

1 cup all-purpose flour

4 eggs

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Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium saucepan bring water and butter to full boil. Remove from heat. Add flour and mix well and let cool slightly. Add eggs one at a time mixing well after each egg. Spoon mixture in the shape of a finger onto a cookie sheet. Remember they will double in size so keep that in mind as you spread them out. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 325 and bake another 45 minutes. Allow to cool.

Filling:

Some people like a cream type filling, I prefer pudding. Since it is a French dessert, I use French Vanilla instant pudding, but regular vanilla is just as good too. Mix according to directions and let sit in refrigerator while éclair shells are baking. When cooked, take the shell, cut a slit down the side with a sharp knife and spoon the pudding in.

Chocolate Glaze

2 1oz squares of unsweetened chocolate

2 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3 tablespoons milk

Directions:

Melt Chocolate and butter in saucepan over low heat, removed and stir in sugar and milk. Mix well until smooth and drizzle over éclairs immediately, it sets up pretty fast.

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Cream Puffs

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By Diane Forrest,

Today is the official end of the holiday season, and everyone returns back to work and school and making plans for the New Year.  Many folks have spent the last month going from party to party eating holiday foods and lots of sweet treats.  For those of you who are tired of all the holiday fare...and who didn’t make a resolution to go on a diet, today is a great day for you!

Today is National Cream Puff Day.  Cream Puffs are a light and delicious dessert that originated in Europe sometime during the 1540's when Catherine de Medici's pastry chef created the baked puffed shells for Catherine’s husband, Henry II of France.  To look at them, and taste them you would think you would have to be a French chef to make them, but they are really quite easy.

When I turned 15, I got an electric spritzer maker that could also be used to insert fillings in desserts, and pipe out any kind of dough.  The first recipe I tried was the éclair, because it sounded so exotic.  A cream puff is simply a smaller éclair, almost bite size depending on how large or small you make them.

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So today, on National Cream Puff Day, surprise and delight your family and friends with your culinary talents and try some delicious cream puffs.

Cream Puffs

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter

1 cup water

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup all-purpose flour

4 eggs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. In a large pot, bring water and butter to a rolling boil. Stir in flour and salt until the mixture forms a ball. Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon or stand mixer beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Drop by tablespoonful’s onto an ungreased baking sheet.
3. Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, lower the temperature to 325 degrees and bake for another 45 minutes until golden brown. Centers should be dry.
4. When the shells are cool, either split and fill them with the pudding mixture, or use a pastry bag to pipe the pudding into the shells.

I like to stuff mine with instant french vanilla pudding and top with chocolate glaze, however you can fill them with anything you like, pudding, ice cream or other type of cream, even fruit.  You can also top with a caramel glaze or dust with powdered sugar.

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Chocolate Glaze

Ingredients

• 2 1oz squares of unsweetened chocolate
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 3 Tablespoons milk

Directions

Melt chocolate and butter in saucepan over low heat.  Remove from heat and stir in sugar and milk.  Beat until smooth and spread immediately.

National Pastry Day

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By Diane Forrest,

I was talking to a friend the other day about childhood Christmas memories, and he told me about these waffles his mother would make and deliver during Christmas time.  He got in so much trouble one year because he ate the whole batch.  We were trying to figure out what they were called, he wanted to have some again.  He explained that they were made using an iron, but the iron was dipped in hot oil.  It made a snowflake shape, and was dusted in powdered sugar.  After doing some online searching we were able to locate the iron and recipe for his delicious childhood memory.  It is actually a Scandinavian Christmas cookie; however they can be made any time of the year.

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Just saying the word pastry brings all types of images to mind, most of them being that they are delicious and extremely hard to make.  Pastry simply refers to any type of baked good, from a pie crust to baklava and éclairs.  Pastries have been around since 5b.c. It is believed to have been created in the Mediterranean, and then made popular in Western Europe by the Crusaders.  In the 16th century the first recipe was discovered.  They have been adapted over time to the pastries we have today.

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Today is National Pastry Day.  I have included the recipe for the Scandinavian Rosettes, you will need to find a rosette iron, I found mine on Amazon.com.  So today, why not try something new or different for the holidays, and if you do not cook, stop in somewhere for an éclair or piece of pie, and celebrate National Pastry Day.  Also you can click on the link below and see some incredible pictures and recipes for other delicious pastries.

Scandinavian Heirloom Cookies

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Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• peanut oil for deep frying
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preparation:

1. Beat eggs slightly. Add 1 tablespoon sugar and salt. Add flour and milk alternately, blending until smooth. Stir in vanilla. The batter should be about as thick as pancake batter. If it isn't, add more flour, a tablespoon at a time. If it is too thick, add a teaspoon of milk at a time. Heat 3" of oil in a deep fryer to 365 degrees. (A deep frying thermometer is very helpful, and I highly recommend it.)
2. Place a rosette iron in the hot oil for 60 seconds. There's no way to take the temperature of the iron; it just has to be hot. Dip the hot iron into the batter, making sure NOT to let the batter run over the top of the iron. If you do, the rosette will be impossible to remove. Immerse the coated iron in the hot fat and fry 25-30 seconds until light brown. Slip off onto a paper towel.
3. On large plate, combine 1 cup sugar and cinnamon and mix well. Dip rosettes in this mixture while still warm. You can also sprinkle them with powdered sugar. Don't skip this step - the cookies aren't really sweetened until they're coated in some kind of sugar! Makes about 36 rosettes

For more pastry ideas and recipes, visit this site: http://www.frenchpastrychef.com/pastry/card0.shtml