Sinfully Easy Eclairs

I have always had a LOVE for eclairs, but have never had the time to make them from scratch.  I have tried many 'shortcut' type recipes, but nothing that thrilled me... until now.

After many trys I have decided that there is no shortcut to a great pastry.  As for the filling and chocolate topping, I have come up a few quick and easy shortcuts that still give the eclairs the wonderful, rich flavors I remember experiencing as a child.

The pastry may take a little time and patience, but trust me, it is well worth the effort.

Sinful Eclairs

CHOUX Pastry:
1 cup Water
1/2 cup Butter (real butter)
1 cup Flour
1/4 tsp Salt
4 Eggs

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lightly grease a large cookie sheet.
In a medium sauce pan bring water to a boil, add butter and stir until butter is melted.  Reduce heat to low and stir in flour until it forms a dough ball.  Remove from heat. Working quickly, add one egg at a time, mixing quickly so that the eggs do not cook. Continue until all eggs are mixed in.

Spoon dough into pastry bag.    Pipe dough into lightly greased cookie sheet into 12 strips of 1 1/2" x 3" about 2" about.

Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce Oven to 325 degrees and bake for an additional 20 minutes until golden brown. Working quickly, remove from oven and with a wooden spoon handle pierce a hole along the center, almost to the other side, but not all the way through. Set aside and allow to cool completely.

FILLING:
1 box of Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1 cup Milk
1/4 tsp Vanilla Extract

With electric mixer mix together, pudding mix, cream, milk, and vanilla until smooth and thick. Spoon filling into pastry bag with a medium to large size tip. Close and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

CHOCOLATE TOPPING:
1 tub Ready Made Milk Choclate Frosting
1/4 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

With electric mixer, mix together frosting and cream until smooth. Spoon into pastry bag with a medium or large star tip. Set aside until ready to use.

Time to fill the pastries. With pudding filled pastry bag, insert tip into each pastry and squeeze. If you hold the pastry gently, you can usually fell when the filling has reached the end. Repeat until all pastries are filled. Arrange onto serving platter and creatively top with chocolate frosting. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Store leftovers (if there are any) in refrigerater in a sealed container. Can be stored up to 3 days. NOTE: If you are wanting to pre-prepare these for an event. Make the pastries and store in an airtight container in the refrigerater. The pudding and frosting can also be pre-prepared and stored in the refrigerater for up to 4 days. Simply assemble when ready.