How to Make Éclair Cake

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 125 g butter
• 1 cup + 1 tablespoon flour
• 4 eggs
• Éclair filling (crème pâtissière):
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 3 cups liquid milk
• or
• 6 tablespoons powdered milk dissolved in 3 cups water
• Also from Hanadi, try Homemade Sesame Kaak

Method

1. In a pot on the stove... begin making the dough: put 1 1/2 cups water and wait for it to boil
2. Add the butter to the boiling water... and when it has completely melted reduce the heat as much as possible
3. Begin adding the flour gradually while stirring until you obtain a soft dough
4. Turn off the heat and let the dough rest for about a quarter of an hour to cool slightly before shaping
5. Add the eggs one at a time while continuously whisking until you get a smooth dough that can be piped with a pastry bag
6. Grease the baking tray lightly with a little oil and put the éclair dough in a piping bag, then pipe the pieces lengthwise about two finger-widths wide
7. Place the tray in the oven preheated with bottom heat.. put it in the center of the oven.. when the pastries puff up switch on the top heat and brown them slightly
8. Watch the éclairs closely because they do not need much time.. when they are slightly browned turn off the oven
9. Leave them in the oven for a quarter of an hour before opening it so they do not collapse if the temperature changes suddenly
10. Meanwhile prepare the filling.... On the counter, mix the eggs, vanilla, lemon zest and sugar cold, then add the cornstarch and flour and mix well
11. Finally add the milk and mix very well then put the mixture on the stove
12. Continue stirring while it is on the heat so the mixture does not clump
13. When it boils and the mixture thickens, turn off the heat
14. Pour the cream into a wide dish and cover it with cling film so it cools
15. Chill it well in the fridge before slicing the éclairs from the side and filling them.. you can also pierce the éclairs and fill them with a piping bag
16. Dip one side of the éclairs in the melted chocolate or decorate as desired
17. Hanadi Habbal
18. Also from Hanadi, try her homemade sesame cake