Description
If you've tried my mini cream puffs then you'll love these mini eclairs! They make the perfect treat for any occasion! Whether you need something a little fancy or just a midnight snack these little pastries topped with rich chocolate ganache will hit the spot!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Vanilla Filling
- 1 cup Milk
- 1 (3.4 oz) pkg. Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
- 1/4 cup Powdered Sugar
- 1 (8 oz) container Cool Whip
Choux Paste
- 3/4 cup Water
- 6 Tbs. Butter
- 1/8 tsp Salt
- 3/4 cup Flour
- 3 Large Eggs
Ganache:
- 10 oz. Chocolate of Your Choice
- 3/4 cup Heavy Cream
Instructions
- Start by making the vanilla filling first so it has plenty of time to set and chill while you make the éclair shells.
- In a small bowl or 4 cup measuring cup, beat the instant vanilla pudding mix and powdered sugar into 1 cup of milk until it begins to thicken.
- Beat in the the container of cool whip.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put in the fridge.
- Now for the choux paste...In a medium pot over medium high heat on the stove top, bring the water, butter, and salt to a boil.
- Once boiling add the flour all at once and quickly stir until the mixture comes together in a ball.
- Remove from the heat and let sit for 10 minutes to cool slightly.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Crack the eggs into a small bowl or cup.
- Add the eggs to the cooked choux paste mixture in the pot one at a time stirring quickly with addition to incorporate the eggs completely. (At first the eggs will seem resistant to being mixed in but just keep going. They'll mix in)
- Scoop the choux paste into a 16 inch disposable frosting bag.
- Cut off enough of the end of the bag to be able to pipe a strip of choux paste that is as big around a regular sized hot dog.
- Pipe 3 1/2 long strips of choux paste onto the prepared baking sheet leaving a little less than an inch between each one. You should get all 20 eclairs on each pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven (400 degrees) for 18-20 minutes. DO NOT open the oven door at any point during baking to check on them!!! This will release the steam in the pastries and they'll go flat.
- The eclair shells should be golden brown.
- Cool on a wire rack.
- While the eclair shells are baking make the ganache.
- Melt the chocolate in the microwave or in a melter pot with the heavy cream.
- Stir until completely smooth.
- Allow the ganache to cool until it becomes thick and pipeable while you fill the eclairs.
- To fill the eclairs use something long and thin like a chopstick to carefully poke a small hole into one end of each eclair. Wiggle the chopstick around a little bit to make room for the filling.
- Fill a disposable frosting bag fitted with a #10 tip with vanilla filling.
- Gently poke the tip in each hole and fill each eclair.
- Fill a disposable frosting bag fitted with your preferred tip, with ganache. Pipe a strip of ganache over the top of each eclair.
- Store the eclairs in a loosely covered container in the fridge.
Notes
- This recipe can be cut in half but not doubled. Choux paste to be promptly baked.
- These eclairs end up being 4 inches long. feel free to make them half as small by piping the choux paste in 2 inch strips instead. The baking time will be the same.
- I used tip #10 to pip the filling into the eclairs.
- Tip #895 for flat but ridged ganache.
- Tip #2D for the fancy swirled ganache.
Keywords: mini eclairs, eclairs recipe, easy eclairs recipe, best eclairs