Mini Eclairs with Dunbarton Blue® Sweet Cream

Instructions

Pastry Cream:

1. Bring milk and Dunbarton Blue® to a gentle boil in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Cool milk mixture to 175°F, about 12-15 minutes.
2. Whisk the sugar, cornstarch and egg yolks in a bowl until blended. Whisk in 1/2 cup hot milk mixture. Return all to saucepan, whisking constantly. Cook and stir over low heat until mixture reaches 160°F and is thickened, about 5-6 minutes. (Do not boil.) Remove from the heat. Stir in vanilla.
3. Pour pastry cream through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. Whisk in butter until smooth. Place bowl into a larger bowl filled with ice water. (Do not stir.) Cool to room temperature, about 2-4 minutes. Remove from the ice water. Press plastic wrap onto surface of cream. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Eclairs:

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Bring the water, butter, sugar and salt to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to low. Add flour; stir vigorously until mixture pulls away from the sides of pan, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Let stand for 5 minutes.
3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until dough is smooth and glossy. Transfer dough to a pastry bag fitted with a 3/4-inch star tip. Pipe 4-inch x 1-inch logs of dough 2 inches apart on prepared pans. Whisk egg yolk and milk; brush over logs. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until golden brown and firm. Cool for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Cut a small slit into each eclair, allowing steam to escape. Cool completely.

Ganache:

1. Place chocolate into a bowl. Bring cream just to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly. Pour cream over chocolate. Let stand for 5 minutes. Stir until chocolate mixture is smooth.
2. Cut eclairs in half lengthwise. Dip the top of each eclair into ganache. Sprinkle with macadamia nuts and additional Dunbarton Blue®. Let stand until set.
3. Spread butterscotch sauce on eclair bottoms. Pipe pastry cream over bottoms; replace tops. Garnish with flowers.