Chocolate Birthday Eclairs

 

I was six years old the day mom called from the hospital and told me that I had a baby sister. I remember jumping up and down on my bed and being absolutely ecstatic over the idea of you. We loved you so much! I carried you around like a little doll because I was so proud. I am still so proud of the person you are today! Thank you for being the best sister, friend, daughter, aunt, and wife. You are so selfless in your service and love for us and we couldn’t live without you!

 

You know this recipe well. It’s another recipe from mom’s stash that has been begging for a sugar-free makeover. Mom made these especially for you and I got to post about them, but we are ALL loving and thinking about you today!

Wishing you the happiest birthday yet!

Love,

Dad, Mom, Holly, Chris, Whitney, Natalie, Ben, Travis, and Chelsea

 

 

Chocolate Eclairs
Print Recipe

Pastry:
1/2 cup Butter
1 cup Water
1 cup Flour
4 well beaten Eggs

Bring butter and water to a boil on the stove. Remove from heat and add the flour, stirring into a ball. Let this cool slightly. Add eggs and beat until the mixture is smooth. Using a pastry bag with no tip attachment, or a baggie with a generous hole cut out of one corner, pipe the dough onto a baking sheet. I aim for about 3 inch long pastries. They rise to about 4 inches. You can spoon the mixture on, I just think using a bag is easiest and helps you achieve a little more uniformity.

 

Whip the following until smooth:
¼ cup Cocoa Powder
¼ cup Coconut Oil
1 cup Maple Syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla
Dash of salt

Add:
8 oz. Container Whipping Cream, whipped to form stiff peaks.

 

Filling the Pastry:

Your cooled pastries are basically hallow inside. I like to make sure they are really hallow by finding a little spot where I can dig a clean finger into the middle to clean out the inside “cobwebs” (hey, it’s Halloween). Don’t be afraid to dig.

Sometimes there will be a little peak at the top of each pastry that will come off and make it easy to fill with chocolate mousse. If not, that finger hole at the top or side will become your access point for the filling. If you use your pastry bag or baggie with a hole cut out of one corner, this is so much easier. Fill your bag with the mousse and pipe the mousse into the center of the pastry. It will be messy but it’s best that way! Quiet the perfectionist in your head and don’t worry if your first ones are a little messier than you might like.