Recipe: Peanut Butter Eclairs (with Peanut Butter Filling and Chocolate Glaze)

PEANUT BUTTER ECLAIRS

FOR THE DOUGH:
1 cup water
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup bread flour
4 large eggs
FOR THE PEANUT BUTTER FILLING:
1 1/2 cups whole milk, divided
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons flour
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, plus a pat for greasing the surface of the filling
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
FOR THE CHOCOLATE GLAZE:
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate morsels
1/2 cup (4 ounces) heavy cream
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
Coarsely chopped peanuts, for garnish (optional)

FOR THE DOUGH:
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the water, butter and salt. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil, then remove it from the heat and add the flours, stirring vigorously to combine. Return the pan to the stove. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the mixture forms a ball. Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool for 5 to 10 minutes (to 140 degrees on a candy thermometer; it will still feel hot, but you should be able to hold a finger in it for a few seconds.)

Transfer the dough to the bowl of a stand mixer. On low speed, add the eggs 1 at a time, incorporating after each addition; the mixture will become fluffy. Beat for at least 2 minutes after adding the last egg.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and mark the paper with two sets of parallel guidelines, each 4 inches apart (for piping the dough).

Place the dough in a pastry bag with a 3/4-inch opening. Pipe the dough in 1-by-4-inch strips onto the prepared baking sheets. Be sure to leave at least 1 inch of space between each strip of dough, because the eclairs will expand as they bake.

Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees and bake for 15 minutes. Turn off the oven, open the door a crack and leave the eclairs inside to cool for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven to cool completely.

FOR THE PEANUT BUTTER FILLING:
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine 11/4 cups of the milk and the sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat; it should take about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup milk, egg yolks, cornstarch and flour. Add a few tablespoons of the hot milk-sugar mixture to the milk-egg yolk mixture, then pour it all back into the hot milk mixture and return to medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and cook for 30 seconds.

Remove from the heat, strain through a fine-mesh strainer, and add the 2 tablespoons of butter and vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, stirring to combine. Add the peanut butter and stir until evenly blended. Transfer to a bowl, rub the pat of butter over the surface to keep it from forming a skin, top with a piece of plastic wrap, then refrigerate until cool, about an hour.

While the filling is cooling, whisk the 1/2 cup cream until soft peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the cooled peanut butter filling. Set aside or cover and refrigerate until ready to assemble.

FOR THE CHOCOLATE GLAZE:
Place the chocolate morsels in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the cream and corn syrup and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring until smooth and well combined. Pour over the chocolate and stir the mixture until smooth. Hold at room temperature until ready to glaze the eclairs.

TO ASSEMBLE:
Spoon the filling into a pastry bag that has been fitted with a 1/2-inch wide tip. Poke 2 to 3 holes in the bottom of each eclair shell with a skewer and pipe some filling into each hole. (If you aren't using a pastry bag, slice off the top third of the eclair shell, spoon filling into the cavity and replace the top.) Working over the bowl, spoon the chocolate glaze over each eclair, letting the excess run back into the bowl. Sprinkle with the chopped peanuts, if desired. Place in a tightly sealed container and refrigerate for up to 1 day.

Makes 1 dozen
Source: King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking: Delicious Recipes Using Nutritious Whole Grains