Chocolate Eclairs

Before dredging into chocolate recipes lets go into some pros and cons of chocolate.

Chocolate benefits to health..

• Reduces risk of cardiovascular disease
• A compound in chocolate is critical for healthy blood flow and blood pressure.
• There are several bioactive compounds in chocolate that promote alertness, lessen pain and promote well-being. 
• Chocolate promote relaxation.
• There is less caffeine in chocolate than there is in a cup of coffee.
• Men who eat chocolate live a year longer than those who don't.
• Studies show that chocolate is not a causative factor in acne.

But On The Negative Side...

1. Chocolate may trigger headaches in migraine sufferers.

2. Milk chocolate is high in calories, saturated fat and sugar.

3.Moderate amounts of dark chocolate may have some heart benefits, but many claims are unproven and much more research is needed before chocolate can take its place among true healthy foods, such as fruits and vegetables, which also contain vitamins, minerals, and fiber not found in chocolate. That said, replacing the regular sweet treat in your diet with the darkest chocolate you can find (look for a high cocoa content) won’t hurt you and may have some health benefits.

Ingredients:-   (Serves-6. Preparation time: 1 hr)                                                                           


Plain flour/AP flour- 1 cup
Salted butter-150 gm ( or butter and salt 3/4 tspn)
Water- 1 cup
Sugar- 1 tblspn
Egg - 2
Cream- 1 cup
Granulated sugar- Half cup
Semi sweet chocolate- 30 gm
Unsalted Butter- 1 tblspn


Utensils required:-                                             

•                                         

• 2 medium pans
• 1 whisk or electric mixer
• 1 wooden spoon
• 1 bowl
• 1 small knife
• 1 baking tray

Procedure:-

• Pour the water in a steel pot and place it over the stove at a medium high flame.Add the salted butter and  sugar into it. Before it boils follow the next step.
• Take the whipped cream in a bowl and beat using an electric mixer(or a whisk; but it is a long and hard process) until it takes a frothy creamy  texture.
• Add the sugar to it and whip it again using the electric mixer. U can see it turning thicker like a cake frosting. ( U can use it as frosting though)
• Now place it in fridge for later use.
• Lets go to the next step of step 1. Once the water is boiled, simmer it and add the flour and stir for 2 min till it forms a rough dough.
• Take the pot off the stove and let it cool a little.
• Beat the eggs meanwhile.
• Add it slowly into the choux dough and knead simultaneously. Now the dough turns into a very soft form. It ll take a tooth paste texture.
• Let this cool.
• After cooling make small balls out of this choux dough. May be around six.. Now here in this step you can shape it in any form, like a tube or  egg shape or round ball. You can grease your hands with butter while doing this. or can go for a piping bag with a medium nozzle. If it  is a ball or egg shape slightly press the dough to flatten a little so that the final outcome(eclairs) looks like a bun.( as shown in the picture) 
• Preheat the oven at 190 degree celsius or 380 F.
• Place the pastry dough in a oven proof pan after greasing it. 
• Now Bake it for 20-25 min till u get the eclairs cooked well. Check it by inserting a knife in the center of the eclair. If it comes out clean without any uncooked sticky dough on it, its well done.
• Now let it cool. Meanwhile microwave or on a stove at sim flame melt the chocolate and butter.
• Once the eclairs are cool slice the eclairs horizontally on a half with the other half left unsliced and joined.
• Fill the gap with the whipped cream and close it.
• Decorate it with the chocolate on the top.
• Use as a dessert or  as a special treat.
• Done

BON APETITE :)