Chocolate Éclairs are Difficult?

June 22, today, is "National Chocolate Éclair Day" here on the fun chocolate calendar we are creating over the years drawing upon many, many printed and online sources.  This day honoring a French creation with the addition of our Sacred Substance has an unknown history.  If you know anything at all about when this fun food holiday began or who created it, please leave a note with a link in the comments, Sisters and Brothers.

Your Chocolate Priestess has never made homemade éclairs before, let alone chocolate ones because she's heard it is difficult and because frankly it is often borderline too warm to use the oven where she lives.  Today, it's supposed to be over 90 degrees again and humid.  So what I need from all of you is feedback on whether or not making chocolate éclairs is indeed difficult.

Where do you get your recipes for your chocolate éclairs?  Do you put chocolate inside them as well as on the top?  Could you add chocolate to the pastry itself to make it even more chocolaty or would that upset the creation of the fine product? How long will a homemade éclair last in your house?  What type of chocolate -- white, milk, dark -- works best for these?

If you give me the information then next year I can find the courage to try to make my own and share the success or failure with you all.

Sisters and Brothers, may you, too, take the time to slowly appreciate what the Divine and human ingenuity have offered you in chocolate.

Comments

Chefwanabe said…
Hummm...I never tried to make them, but if I did I would totally put chocolate inside and on top. And they would last very little. Specially with my hubby around.
Hi, Anna, welcome to The Chocolate Cult. I hope you consider officially joining us so you have a chance to win when we have contests.

I bet if I made them they'd disappear fast around my house as well. When it cools off (when will that be, geesh) I'll try to make some myself then share that adventure with you all.
mavido79 said…
I have a great recipe for pate a choux, which is the basic dough for eclairs and cream puffs. It's a big tricky but not super difficult. I've never tried it but I suppose you could fill them with chocolate pudding instead of custard. Yum! But it's definitely too hot to bake around here.
Maybe in the cooler months you'd be willing to share that with us as an interview in our "Everyday Chocolatier" series?