Eclairs

Ingredients

Pate a Choux:

• 4 oz. milk
• 4 oz. water
• 2 grams salt
• 4 oz. unsalted butter, cubed and softened
• 4 oz. bread flour
• 8 oz. eggs

• Pastry Cream
• Chocolate Fondant

Directions

1. Place the milk, water, butter, and salt in a medium pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
2. Off the heat, add the flour all at once. Stir with a wooden spoon until homogeneous.
3. Return to the heat and continue stirring until a film forms on the bottom of the pot.
4. Place the mixture in a large mixing bowl with a paddle. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds.
5. Add 25% of the eggs and mix to fully incorporate. Add the remaining eggs 10% at a time until you can lift the paddle and a V shape forms from the batter. Alternatively, you can pinch the mixture between your fingers. You'll know it's ready when it forms an hourglass when you move your forefinger and thumb apart). You may not need all the eggs.
6. Place in a pastry bag with an 806 tip. Pipe 3-inch oblongs on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Let sit for 15 minutes to form a "skin".
7. Bake in a 375F oven for 40-45 minutes, rotating halfway, or until fully golden-brown. The eclairs are done when you lightly touch the top and it does not give. Allow eclairs to cool completely. 
8. Use a small circle piping tip to poke two holes through the bottom of each eclair. Use the same piping tip to pipe the pastry cream in each eclair, filling through one hole and stopping when the custard begins to come out the other.
9. Dip the eclairs in the chocolate fondant, making sure the fondant is about 95-100F. Let any excess fondant drip and flip the eclair around so the chocolate doesn't drip down the sides. Let set and refrigerate until serving.

Yield 2 dozen 3" eclairs