New idea, Recipe of the day (ROTD)

SO since I  love cooking I have decided to make a section in my blog for my cooking. They are nor all original recipes but I will post credit for the person who owns. 
Last nights meal was an original recipe based on something I love but did not know how to make and it turned out a success.


Today I am making Paula Deen's Recipe for Chocolate filled eclairs. Here are the directions.

Pastry: 

Ingredients

1 cup water

1 stick margarine or butter

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour

4 eggs 

Filling: 

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups milk

3 eggs, beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla 

Icing: 

2 (1-ounce) squares chocolate

2 cups sugar

1 cup whipping cream

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat water and margarine or butter to boiling point. Add flour and stir constantly until mixture is smooth and forms a ball. Remove from heat and let cool. Beat in 4 eggs, 1 at a time and once incorporated, place into a pastry bag. On a greased cookie sheet, pipe out dough in thick lines that form eclairs. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until light brown. Set aside to cool.

In a medium saucepan, prepare filling by whisking together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar and salt. Whisk in about 1 cup milk and cook over low heat, stirring often, until thickened or the consistency of mayonnaise. Add the rest of the milk and then temper in 3 beaten eggs and continue to cook until mixture is even thicker. Remove from heat, cool and add vanilla.

With a serrated knife, slice pastry puffs lengthwise, but not all the way through. Pipe custard mixture into the center. Melt chocolate for icing, add sugar and cream. Cook over medium heat until soft ball stage. Let cool and beat until smooth. Ice tops of the eclairs.

*my personal note if you do not have a pastry bag do not need one, just use a regular ziplock bag and cut an opening on the bottom corner. Learn from my experience, do not make a big opening or big lines, they WILL turn out HUGE... lol 

After finishing them off Several people tried them. I did not love the filling but I did like the icing and pastry itself. Everyone else loved them. I recommend this  recipe to those who love chocolate. If you would like you can fill the pastries with nutella chocolate... or use more cocoa and a little less flour on the filling. 

Later I will post the pictures if my baking journey