Mini Chocolate Eclairs

Yummy cream filled Chocolate Eclairs....super yummy for a summer BBQ....

My French born sister-in-law Danielle makes these TO DIE FOR ECLAIRS every year at 4th of July. Everyone has come to expect and love her chocolate eclairs. She actually can't make a different dessert because everybody looks forward to these 4th of July Eclairs so much! Or they'd be great for a Summer BBQ too! These little cream puffs are so yummy I want one NOW!

My sis-in-law made the easy chocolate eclairs/cream puffs.....I made the fruity, chocolate cupcakes....both look great on our 4th of July table don't they? They are great for any summer BBQ too. 

Easy Eclairs or Cream Puffs Recipe:  
1 cup water
1/2  cube butter
1 cup flour
4 eggs
Heat oven to 400. Heat water and butter to a rolling boil. Stir in flour untilmixture forms a ball. Remove from heat. Let cool a bit till batter is not hot. Beat in eggs one at a time. Drop dough 1 Tbsp size onto baking sheet using a pastry bag. Mine were about 1 3/4 inches oval x 1 1/2 and I got about 30 little eclairs.

Cook until puffy and golden. I did 14 minutes at 400 and then turned oven down to 350 for 5 minutes. I think from posts I read on other blogs 20 minutes is perfect for smaller eclairs. Larger ones about 20 minutes at 400 and 4 minutes at 350 but watch them the last 3 minutes. Your oven might be different as I am at high altitude.

Directions

Heat water and butter till boiling. Add flour and stir constantly until mixture is smooth.

The ingredients for cream eclairs are only 4....so easy! 

Water, butter, flour and eggs....

Batter before adding the eggs.....I let it beat a little to let off some of the steam....

Then I added 1 egg at a time and beat for a minute in between eggs.....

The eclair batter is  like pudding...

I piped the batter onto a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper....

I added a blob of eclair batter to each of the 4 corners...then pressed the parchment paper on top. It helps
"glue" the paper down to the cookie sheets. 

Here are my finished Eclairs....just out of the oven! 

Now they are ready to fill with the creamy, rich pudding filling....each one was a half a handful ! 

Cool. Cut a slit in the side of puff with a knife. Fill eclairs with a pastry bag filled with the french vanilla pudding mixture.  Make chocolate icing and spread over top.  Keep refrigerated. Makes 12 large or 24 eclairs (mine made 30 little round ones- bigger than the Costco size) I think this is a perfect dessert to bring to a party because if you have other desserts, this can be a side garnish and they are so cute and yummy too.

French Vanilla Cream Filling
1/2 pint whipping cream (smallest carton)
1 small box instant French vanilla instant pudding
1/2 cup milk
Whip until thick.

HERE is a link to a yummy eclair recipe from Annie's Eats if you like mocha flavor.

1/2 cup milk, pint of cream and small box of french vanilla instant pudding....

The filling is really rich and creamy too...I had to pop an eclair in my mouth to taste test it! 

Squeeze inside of your little puffs....so easy! 

 Chocolate Fudgy Glaze
1/2 slick butter
2 Tbsp. cocoa
2 Tbsp. milk
2 cups powdered sugar ( I used a little less, just add it till desired consistency)

Heat until melted, stirring constantly-add 2 cups powdered sugar until melted. Shake a fork
back & forth and then the other way to ice tops of eclairs if you want a cool design. Or just frost with a knife.

This was the most delicious chocolate glaze!  

It was easy and quick....

And it tastes like the most divine fudge!  Really!

Chocolate Eclairs....oh my yum! Wouldn't these eclairs be cute with at little flag sticking out on a toothpick? I saw some at Hobby Lobby the other day....shoulda bought them now that I think about it.....

Wouldn't you love a creamy, chocolaty, eclair bite?  That's what I'm talkin' about!