Eclairs CONQUERED!!!

Next week is finals week for my Baking 1 class, which includes a 1 hour written exam and a 5 hour practical exam.  The practical exam has a 'measurement obstacle course' and a revisit to the Pate Choux (eclairs), Mousseline Pastry Cream and Chocolate Ganache recipes.  We have to make eclairs from start to finish and present our final products as our practical exam.  

I have made an A every day in baking lab.... except for the day we made eclairs and my eclair pastry fell after it cooled from the oven.  I have been practicing making them at home, knowing I had to conquer the making of them to get an A on my final presentation.  The first batch I made at home were successful, but the ones I made yesterday are not only successful, but soooooo DELISH!!!!  Now I'm ready for my finals with confidence!  WHEW!!!!!!

However, the down side of making yet another batch of these DELISH eclairs is, I can't stop eating them!!!, which is wrecking havoc on my poor tummy!  They are absolutely addicting I tell you!  The mousseline pastry cream inside is so good, I could have eaten the whole bowl of it before starting to fill the eclairs.  These eclairs taste as good as any you would find in any pastry shop in France.

They truly aren't hard to make, they just need practice to make them perfect.  I'm soooo glad I have finally conquered making them and have the confidence to do well in my finals next week.  I will be ending my culinary school experience on a very happy note!  I am looking forward to more pastry and cooking projects to conquer in my own home after I graduate next week, and I will most likely continue taking cooking/baking classes because I enjoy the experience and the learning environment so much.

I think I need to go 'taste test' one more of these wonderful eclairs..... just to make sure they are all truly as good as the last one I ate!

Wishing all of you a Yummy Day!