The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook - Dinah Bucholz [76]
Chocolate Éclairs
To show his gratitude to Dobby for the gillyweed that saved him in the second task, Harry descends to the Hogwarts kitchens, where Dobby works, to give him a pair of socks (Dobby's favorite gift). In the kitchen, Hermione is disgusted by Ron's greed. Why he's asking for éclairs when he's just had breakfast is beyond her. But the house-elves are delighted to present him with a huge platter-full (see Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 28).
Éclair comes from the French word for “lightning,” but how it's related to this yummy dessert is anybody's guess. Perhaps it's because it disappears as quickly as lightning.
Choux Pastry
1 cup water
½ stick (4 tablespoons) butter
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
Pastry bag for forming éclairs
Chocolate Pastry Cream
1 cup whole milk
½ cup heavy cream or whole milk
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup granulated sugar
Pinch salt
3 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons butter ONLY if using all milk Chocolate Glaze
½ cup heavy cream
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
For the choux pastry, combine the water, butter, salt, and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and add the flour all at once, mixing quickly with a wooden spoon until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pot and forms a ball around the spoon. Transfer the dough to the bowl of a stand mixer and allow it to cool slightly.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each until combined, and scraping down the sides of the bowl.
Preheat the oven to 425°F and grease and flour a baking sheet. Cut a 1½-inch slit at the edge of a disposable pastry bag and fill it with the choux paste. Pipe 3-inch logs onto the baking sheet in two rows of six or seven each. Bake for 15 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through the baking time. Reduce the heat to 375°F and bake another 20 minutes, again rotating halfway through the baking time, until the éclairs are puffed and golden. It's better to overbake than to underbake, as the éclairs will collapse and be impossible to fill if they are underbaked. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. After they are cooled, the shells can be sealed in an airtight container or zipper bag and frozen for 2 months. They should not be unwrapped until they are completely defrosted, or they will turn soggy from the condensation.
To make the pastry cream, combine the milk, heavy cream if using, cornstarch, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until hot but not bubbling. Reduce the heat. Slowly pour ½ cup of the hot mixture into the egg yolks while whisking constantly, then pour the egg yolk mixture into the saucepan while stirring constantly. Return the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick and bubbling. Remove from the heat.
Add the vanilla and chocolate (and butter, if using all milk). Stir to combine. Pour the mixture through a sieve, using a rubber spatula to push it through. Cover the surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming, and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until cold, or up to 2 days.
To make the glaze, combine the cream and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, stopping the microwave and stirring every 30 seconds; then stir until smooth. Cool until it is thick enough to spread.
To assemble the éclairs, split them in half with a knife. Fill the bottom halves with about 2 tablespoons of the pastry cream. Replace the top halves and spread with about 2 teaspoons of the glaze. Allow the glaze to set. Éclairs are best eaten right