Pumpkin Pastry Cream Eclairs – Delicious, crispy pastry filled with the most exquisite Pumpkin Cream and topped with a rich chocolate ganache.
Dear France,
Please don’t kill me for messin’ with your signature pastry, buuuuut pumpkin-everything is now in session!
Dear Everyone,
Happy Fall! Happy Pumpkin Season!
So, that didn’t take long – Fall is officially here. Also known as, Autumn. Which, by the way? Is the ‘n’ in Autumn silent? ‘Cause right now, in my head, it is not. It’s there, but for like a nanosecond and there’s no sound. Okay whatever. Don’t listen to me.
I’ve also made a Fall-resolution. I’ve subscribed to our local newspaper. Wait. Subscribed would be what I already DO and that is read the news online.
What I mean is that I’ve actually paid to get the newspaper delivered to my door. I wanna be like my retired neighbors and walk outside at the crack of dawn with my slippers on AND a robe, and bend over to pick up my newspaper. Then, I wanna get back in the house, pour myself a cup of coffee and read the actual paper. As in, flip the pages. As in, how the Huxtable’s would do it.
I’m also just looking for a way to ease into these crazy-amazing-freakin-delicious eclairs. I am dying to tell you about them. They are just BE!YOND!
Think about it. It’s an eclair with creamy, sweet pumpkin filling on the inside and chocolate ganache on the outside. It’s the ultimate dessert. It really is.
I kind of won’t shut up about it. It’s. To. Die. For.
But, I have to be honest. I had one complaint about these babes. “They’re too small” – said the husband. The thing is, I don’t like long eclairs. I like ’em short and sweet. Very sweet.
Really, though, 6-inches is not that short for an Eclair, but even so, they’re Eclairs not Burritos!
Apart from that, everyone loved ’em. And how can you not! The eclairs are just a small vessel for all that creaminess that’s about to hit your taste buds.
Before I go and try to catch up on my Housewives, I’ll have you know that I have 16 cans of pumpkin puree in my pantry. Get ready for some serious pumpkin-eatin’.
ENJOY!
Pumpkin Pastry Cream Eclairs
Ingredients
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 eggs , room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice , or to taste
- 3 egg yolks
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/8 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 ounces semisweet chocolate chips , chopped
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425.
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat and set aside.
- In a heavy bottomed saucepan, combine butter, milk, water, sugar and salt; bring to a boil.
- Add the flour at once, reduce heat to medium-low and, using a wooden spoon, stir the mixture vigorously until the dough comes together.
- Continue to stir for another minute, or until the dough is dry.
- Transfer the dough to your mixer's bowl and let stand 2 minutes.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each egg has been thoroughly incorporated into the dough.
- Add the pumpkin spice and mix just until combined.
- Using a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip, pipe the dough onto the previously prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches of space between them. They should look like 6-inch, long hot dogs.
- Bake for 12 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375, rotate the baking sheets, and bake until puffed up and light golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes more.
- Let cool on baking sheets.
- Combine egg yolks, pumpkin, sugar, flour, pumpkin pie spice and cornstarch in a mixing bowl; whisk until the mixture is completely combined and smooth. Set aside.
- In a saucepan, warm the milk over low heat until hot, but not boiling.
- Add half of the hot milk to the pumpkin mixture, whisking constantly.
- Now take the pumpkin mixture and add it to the milk that's in the saucepan.
- Continue to cook the mixture over low heat while constantly stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the custard is very thick.
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge until completely cooled; about 45 minutes.
- Place the chocolate in a medium mixing bowl; set aside.
- In a small saucepan, cook the cream over medium heat just until it boils.
- Remove from heat and pour the hot cream over the chocolate; whisk until melted and smooth. Set aside. You can also let it cool, cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Make sure to rewarm in a microwave when ready to use.
- Slice the eclairs horizontally, using a serrated knife and a gently sawing motion.
- Using a pastry bag fitted with a medium-size plain tip, pipe the Pumpkin Cream into the eclairs, using just enough to fill the inside; about 1-1/2 tablespoons per eclair.
- Dip the tops of the eclairs in the warm chocolate ganache and set on a sheet pan.
- Chill, uncovered, for 1 hour.
- Serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
