Servings: 20 pumpkin mini eclairs
Ingredients
Eclairs:
- ¼ cup water ~60 ml
- ¼ cup milk ~60 ml
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter ~45 g
- 2½ oz all-purpose flour ~70 g
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1¼ tsp sugar
- 2 large eggs ~95g after cracking
Pumpkin Pastry Cream:
- 1 1/4 cups milk ~300g
- 5/8 cup pumpkin puree ~150g
- 1 1/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 2 egg yolks medium or large, about 30-35g
- 3 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch 35g
- 9 tablespoons brown sugar ~120g
- 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter 35g
Maple Glaze:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1.5 tablespoons butter room temperature
- pinch salt
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract optional
- 1/2 teaspoon milk adjust based on consistency
Instructions
Eclairs:
- Preheat Oven: Heat oven to 390°F (200°C).
- Boil Butter Mixture: In a pot, mix butter, milk, water, salt, and sugar. Bring to a boil, ensuring the butter melts completely.¼ cup water, ¼ cup milk, 3 tbsp unsalted butter, ¼ tsp salt, 1¼ tsp sugar
- Add Flour: Off the heat, add flour all at once and stir. Return to low heat, stirring continuously for 2-3 minutes until the dough is thick, glossy, and leaves a thin film on the pot bottom.2½ oz all-purpose flour
- Cool Dough: Transfer dough to a bowl and let it cool for 10 minutes, spreading it out to cool faster.
- Whisk Eggs: Beat eggs in a separate bowl.2 large eggs
- Mix Dough: With the dough slightly cooled, mix with a hand mixer. Gradually add half the eggs, mix, then add the remaining eggs bit by bit until the dough forms a 'V' shape when lifted with a whisk or spatula.
- Prepare Tray: Line a baking tray with parchment or a silicone mat. Optionally, draw 4- to 5-inch lines with 2 inches in between on the parchment as a guide for piping.
- Piping Prep: Fill a piping bag with a large tip with the eclair dough.
- Pipe: Pipe the dough into strips on the tray, spaced more than an inch apart. Smooth any irregular ends with wet fingers.
- Bake: Bake in a preheated oven at 356°F (180°C) for 40 minutes (35 for mini eclairs), reducing the temperature if the eclairs start to brown prematurely, and open the oven door slightly for the last 5 minutes to release steam.
- Cool: Let eclairs cool on the tray for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before filling.
Pumpkin Pastry Cream:
- Boil Milk Mixture: In a pot, whisk together milk, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice, and sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.1 1/4 cups milk, 5/8 cup pumpkin puree, 1 1/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract, 9 tablespoons brown sugar
- Prep Yolks: Whisk egg yolks in a large bowl and stir in cornstarch.2 egg yolks, 3 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Temper Eggs: Gradually pour hot milk mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly, until fully combined.
- Cook Until Thick: Return the mixture to the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring, until it thickens and starts to bubble.
- Whisk Off Heat: Remove from heat and whisk for about a minute off heat.
- Stir in Butter: Add butter and stir until melted.2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Taste and Adjust: Add sugar or pumpkin pie spice if needed.
- Strain (Optional): Strain through a mesh strainer for a smoother texture.
- Cover and Chill: Cover with plastic wrap and cool at room temperature, then refrigerate if not using right away.
Maple Glaze:
- Melt Butter: Melt butter on the stove or in the microwave, avoiding a boil.1.5 tablespoons butter
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a bowl, combine melted butter, salt, maple syrup, and vanilla (optional).3 tablespoons maple syrup, pinch salt, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add Sugar: Sift and add powdered sugar in batches, stirring after each addition.1/2 cup powdered sugar
- Adjust Consistency: Add milk in small amounts if too thick. If too thin, add more sugar until drizzle consistency is achieved.1/2 teaspoon milk
Combine:
- Prep Eclairs: Poke three holes in the bottom of each eclair with a piping tip or paring knife, or slice them in half horizontally.
- Whisk Pastry Cream: Whisk the pastry cream until smooth if it's stiff from refrigeration.
- Pipe Filling: Fill each eclair with pastry cream until it starts to come out of the holes or cracks.
- Glaze Eclairs: Dip the tops of each eclair in the maple glaze. Adjust consistency of the glaze with milk or powdered sugar if needed.
- Serve or Chill: Serve immediately or refrigerate for later.
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