Filling:
2 cups whole, 2 percent fat, or 1 percent fat milk
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
6 egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter
Pastry:
1 cup water
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs, plus 1 extra, if needed
Egg Wash:
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons water
Chocolate Glaze:
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
Filling:
In a medium saucepan, heat the milk and vanilla bean to a boil over
medium heat. Immediately turn off the heat and set aside to infuse for
15 minutes. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until light and
fluffy. Add the cornstarch and whisk vigorously until no lumps remain.
Whisk in 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture until incorporated. Whisk in
the remaining hot milk mixture, reserving the saucepan. Pour the
mixture through a strainer back into the saucepan. Cook over
medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and slowly
boiling. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Let cool
slightly. Cover with plastic wrap, lightly pressing the plastic against
the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Chill at least 2 hours or
until ready to serve. The custard can be made up to 24 hours in
advance. Refrigerate until 1 hour before using.
Pastry: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a sheet pan with
parchment paper. In a large saucepan, bring the water, butter, salt and
sugar to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. When it boils,
immediately take the pan off the heat. Stirring with a wooden spoon,
add all the flour at once and stir hard until all the flour is
incorporated, 30 to 60 seconds. Return to the heat and cook, stirring,
30 seconds. Scrape the mixture into a mixer fitted with a paddle
attachment (or use a hand mixer). Mix at medium speed. With the mixer
running, add 3 eggs, 1 egg at a time. Stop mixing after each addition
to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix until the dough is smooth and
glossy and the eggs are completely incorporated. The dough should be
thick, but should fall slowly and steadily from the beaters when you
lift them out of the bowl. If the dough is still clinging to the
beaters, add the remaining 1 egg and mix until incorporated.
Using a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip, pipe fat
lengths of dough (about the size and shape of a jumbo hot dog) onto the
lined baking sheet, leaving 2 inches of space between them. You should
have 8 to 10 lengths.
Egg Wash: In a bowl, whisk the egg and water together. Brush
the surface of each eclair with the egg wash. Use your fingers to
smooth out any bumps of points of dough that remain on the surface.
Bake 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375 degrees and bake until
puffed up and light golden brown, about 25 minutes more. Try not to
open the oven door too often during the baking. Let cool on the baking
sheet. Fit a medium-size plain pastry tip over your index finger and
use it to make a hole in the end of each eclair (or just use your
fingertip). Using a pastry bag fitted with a medium-size plain tip,
gently pipe the custard into the eclairs, using only just enough to
fill the inside (don't stuff them full).
Chocolate Glaze: In a small saucepan, heat the cream over medium
heat just until it boils. Immediately turn off the heat. Put the chocolate
in a medium bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and whisk until
melted and smooth. Set aside and keep warm. The glaze can be made up to
48 hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use, and
rewarm in a microwave or over hot water when ready to use.
Dip the tops of the eclairs in the warm chocolate glaze and set
on a sheet pan. Chill, uncovered, at least 1 hour to set the glaze.
Serve chilled.
