Spice Pumpkin Latte Cream Éclairs

It's all about PUMPKIN this month. I am seeing it everywhere. Pumpkin doughnuts, pumpkin ice-cream, pumpkin in everything. Okay, so I guess I wanted to be that little devil and join in the fun, making sure that I could influence another foodie or blogger to do something with pumpkin [muah..ha..ha..ha]. My love for eclairs runs deep within my blood veins. So deep that I wanted to switch it up for this month of October; since its the month of Halloween. Just like the witches standing around a huge black pot brewing some potion, well I stood infront of a kitchen stove, brewing something that's ultra delicious if I say so myself and will get anyone hook just after the first bite. Ladies and gentlemen, here I present you my SPICE PUMPKIN LATTE CREAM ÉCLAIR. Caution: Drool away my foody friends and I will not be held responsible for any excessive drooling or eyes popping.

Anyhow, it all started that very day. A misty cool Saturday morning, awaken by the regular prayers in a nearby mosque marks that it's 5:45 AM. Indeed a regular weekend routine with me laying in bed staring blankly up to my ceiling, trying to get more shut eye hoping to dream of a recipe for the day. Well, not much of a shut eye that very day, as I was left tossing and turning in bed, which only means one thing. Time to get up and start my Saturday chores which has become much of a routine. So I slowly crept down the stairs heading towards the kitchen, and started brewing some coffee. As I was still in a zombie state, it hit me. Saturday's tea time snack has to be something with coffee. And with Fall happening across the Pacific, I wanted to incorporate pumpkin into my treat.

Coming back from San Francisco last year, I managed to snag up a couple packets of Godiva's Spice Pumpkin Coffee Blend. This blend is wickedly delish, and I can't help but kept taking huge deep whiffs of the Spice Pumpkin Coffee every single time I open up the packet. Gosh! If you have a packet of this coffee blend, you would understand why I get all excited about it. There is a hint of toasted spice; cinnamon in the grinded coffee powder. To embody the flavour of this coffee blend by making it ultra rich and smooth, what can be a better way to serve this coffee with a good amount of maple syrup and milk. Maple syrup and cinnamon just work so well together when you let both of these flavour marry. Hows does this sound?

Feeling any good goose bumps? Imagine, rich creamy smooth aromatic Spice Pumpkin Pastry Cream, piped into a puffy choux pastry (recipe used here or here) and then dipped the top side into a semi-sweet chocolate. Three distinctive flavours when a bite is taken into with the pastry cream oozing. Now, that's my kind of whacky afternoon treat.

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Spice Pumpkin Latte Cream Éclair
by Chic & Gorgeous Treats                              

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*Makes 2 dozen 3 (width) x 11 (length) cm éclairs.
*Éclairs can be kept up to 2 days in the fridge stored in an airtight container.
*Éclairs are at its’ best served on the same day.

^INGREDIENTS

Basic Choux Pastry 1 cup AP flour, sifted 1/3 cup unsalted butter 1 cup warm water 1/4 teaspoon salt 4 eggs 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Spice Pumpkin Latte Pastry Cream 1 cup milk 1 tablespoon Godiva Spice Pumpkin coffee blend 5-6 tablespoons Maple Syrup 1 tablespoon corn flour 1/2 tablespoon all-purpose flour 2 large egg yolks 1/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste 2/3 cup heavy cream, whipped soft peaks Chocolate Glaze 3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate 1 1/2 tablespoon golden syrup 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 200º C and lightly grease baking tray with butter, with flour sprinkled all over or line cookie-flat tray with parchment paper. 2. Put the butter, salt and water into a medium deep saucepan and bring to boil. Stir occasionally to help butter melt. Add the flour into the boiling mixture. Reduce the heat to low, and then beat quickly with wooden spoon until the mixture leaves the side of the pan and forms a smooth ball.

3. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and set aside to cool. Using electric beaters, beat in the eggs, one
at until well combined and the mixture becomes is thick and glossy. When you lift up the beater,
the mixture will form a deep V.

4. Pipe the mixture in lengthwise onto the prepared trays. Bake for 20 minutes or until the pastries are puffed. Take them out, using a small knife, make small insertions to release steam from the éclairs. Reduce the oven to 180º C and bake for another 5-10 minutes until the puffs are lightly golden brown and crisp on the outside. Transfer to a cooling rack and set aside to allow cool to room temperature.

5. Prepare 2 medium deep saucepans. In the first medium deep saucepan and bring milk to a boil over medium high heat. Meanwhile in a jug, scoop a tablespoon of Godiva’s Spice Pumpkin blend coffee powder. Pour hot milk over coffee and let it sit aside for a couple of minutes. Add maple syrup to the coffee. In a 2nd medium deep saucepan over low heat, place egg yolks, brown sugar, vanilla bean paste, plain flour and corn flour and whisk to form a thick paste to allow the sugar to melt.  While whisking egg and flour mixture pour Spice Pumpkin coffee in a stream and continue to whisk to combine. Turn heat back to medium-high and lightly whisk constantly until the mixture comes to a boil then cook a further few minutes or until the custard coats the back of a wooden spoon. This Spice Pumpkin Latte custard should be very thick. Sift custard through a strainer into a bowl to remove any lumps. Press a piece of cling film onto the surface and refrigerate until cool.

6. To assemble, whip heavy or whipping cream until soft peaks and fold into Spice Pumpkin Latte custard. If custard is slightly firm, whisk it lightly to help loosen. Fold in whipped cream. Pipe Spice Pumpkin Latte pastry cream filling into the éclairs and glaze top of éclair with chocolate glaze. To make chocolate glaze, in a double boiler, bring water up to a boil and turn heat down to a gentle simmer. Place a heatproof bowl over the double boiler. Melt chocolate, unsalted butter and golden syrup together, stirring occasionally until chocolate has completely melted. Take it off the heat and let it cool down slightly before dipping the top part of each éclair. Transfer glazed éclairs to a fridge and chill for 30 minutes. Thaw 3-5 minutes before serving. ENJOY!

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Since then I am hooked!

xx