Aneclair is an oblong pastry shaped like a hotdog roll made with choux dough, filled with cream and topped with icing.
Its origin can be traced as far back as 18th century France where they were called “pain à la Duchesse” (bread of the duchess or “petite duchesse” (little duchess) until 1850. But today, it is a popular pastry and is enjoyed worldwide.
Some claim legendary French chef Marie-Antoine Carême is the creator of the eclair.
The first known English-language recipe for eclairs appears in the 1884 Boston Cooking School Cook Book by Mrs D A Lincoln and National Chocolate Eclair Day was celebrated in the US yesterday.
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup butter
-One cup water
- One cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Four eggs
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- One teaspoon vanilla extract
- 150 dark chocolate chips
- Two tablespoons butter
- One cup powered sugar
PREPARATION
- Pre-heat the oven to 230°C and grease a non-stick pan.
- In medium saucepan, mix 1/2 cup butter and one cup water. Bring to a boil, stirring until the butter melts completely.
- Reduce heat to low. Add flour and salt. Stir energetically so mix leaves pan sides and forms stiff ball.
- Remove from heat and add eggs, one at a time, beating well to mix completely after each added egg.
- Use a spoon to fit the dough into a pastry bag fitted with a No 10 nozzle and pipe dough into the pan in 4cm x 10cm strips.
- Bake for 15 minutes in oven preheated to 230°C. Then reduce heat to 165°C.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until the rising pastries sound hollow when lightly tapped on the bottom. Fill with whipped cream or custard.
- Allow to cool on a wire rack.
CHOCOLATE ICING
- Melt chocolate in pan. Add two tablespoons of butter in medium saucepan over low heat. Stir in powdered sugar and one teaspoon vanilla essence.
- Stir in hot water, one tablespoon at a time, until icing is smooth. Remove from heat. Let cool slightly. Drip on icing or dip in eclairs.
- Leave in fridge until you are ready to serve.
