Recipe Renovation: Chocolate Eclairs

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Lightly coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. To prepare pastry shells, sift together flour, 1 tablespoon sugar and salt; set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup milk and 1/3 cup margarine. Set pan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
4. Add flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until blended and mixture no longer sticks to sides of pan or spoon. Remove from heat.
5. Add 2 tablespoons of egg substitute and mix with a wooden spoon until blended and smooth. Add remaining egg substitute, 2 tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix until smooth.
6. Fold in 1/4 cup beaten egg whites. Fold in remaining egg whites and mix until blended.
7. Transfer pastry dough to a large zip-close plastic bag (or pastry bag) and gently squeeze to remove any air. Cut one corner, making a 1/2-inch opening. Squeeze pastry onto prepared baking sheet, forming twelve 4-inch “logs” about 1/2-inch high.
8. Using your fingers, splash a little water on the surface of pastries.
9. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350ºF and bake until golden and firm to the touch, 25 more minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack before filling.
10. To prepare filling, whisk pudding mix into 2 cups cold milk. Whisk until blended. Cover and refrigerate 5 minutes.
11. To prepare icing, melt 1 tablespoon margarine and chocolate together in a small saucepan over medium heat.
12. Add 3 tablespoons milk and 2 tablespoons sugar and simmer until blended and smooth, stirring constantly with a wire whisk, 3 minutes. Remove from heat, transfer to a medium glass bowl and cover. Refrigerate until cool, about 20 minutes.
13. Using a spatula, fold in 2 cups powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix until smooth and thick.
14. To assemble éclairs, cut pastry “logs” in half horizontally. Fill bottom half with vanilla pudding and replace top. Spread icing on top half of pastry. Serve immediately.