eclairs 101

slit eclairs, before drying

filled with pudding mixture

piped with chocolate. (note the piped ziplock looks better than the spoon dab and drag on the left)

back in college & living in sf, i used to make this recipe often. it was easier than i had imagined, and it quickly became a request of friends of mine. small dinner parties to bbq's in a park where everybody else brought chips & drinks. it was the easy fancy treat. it's been a few years, so i had a practice round for a church bbq, and then made a good batch for nozomi's 30th bday celebration on saturday. this is one of those desserts that people don't eat one of. and it is received as a gourmet treat, which is a lot of fun when you're the chef.

heat oven to 450

1 c water
1/2 c butter
1 c flour
4 eggs
1/4 t salt
small box french vanilla pudding made, then mixed with 1/4 tub cool whip
ghirardelli semi-sweet chips

Boil water, put in butter. Stir. When melted, add flour and salt all at once. Stir until it becomes a ball, take off heat & cool for 10 min's. Add eggs one at a time, stir after each. Place in pastry bag or if zip lock, seal and cut the corner. Pipe (I go down 2-3 inches and then back up along the side to make it double wide) on lightly greased cookie sheet. (too greased and it'll slide too much when piping, too big of a loop and you have a small donut that leaks the filling)

Bake 450 for 10 min's, turn down to 325 for 20-25 min's until golden brown. Cool, split in half, scoop out the middle. (this part i find optional) Keeping open, place back in off oven for 20 min's to dry. Fill with vanilla pudding mixture. (i make this while the flour/water/butter mixture cools and refrigerate to help it set up, making it easier to use later). Melt 1/2 c. chips and place in ziplock. Cut small hole in corner, and pipe on zigzags of chocolate. Refrigerate/freeze for up to an hour to help set up. Serve as it's approaching room temperature.