Chocolate Covered Pumpkin Éclair Cake Recipes

PUMPKIN ECLAIR CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE FROSTING

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine pumpkin puree with prepared pudding, brown sugar and spice. Gently fold in whipped cream.
• Place a layer of graham crackers in the bottom of a 9×9 pan. Spoon half of the pumpkin mixture over graham crackers.
• Place another layer of crackers and put remaining filling. Finish with layer of crackers.
• GANACHE FROSTING: Melt chocolate and cream in a bowl set over saucepan filled with 1 inch of simmering water. Stir occasionally until smooth. Pour onto center of cake and spread evenly with spoon or spatula.
• Refrigerate for at least 3 hours (or over night) before serving.

CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
• In a large bowl, mix the cake mix, pumpkin, eggs and oil for 3 minutes using a mixer on medium speed. Pour into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool, then frost with cream cheese frosting.

CLASSIC CHOCOLATE ÉCLAIRS

Steps:

• Prepare the custard: Stir together the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and kosher salt in a medium saucepan until smooth. Whisk in the milk and 1/2 cup heavy cream. Add the vanilla bean and seeds and the butter and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Set a fine-mesh sieve over a large heatproof bowl.
• Cook the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly and making sure to get the edges, until the mixture begins to thicken, 2 to 4 minutes. (It's helpful to have both a spatula and a whisk handy while making the custard. Switch between the two.) Let it come up to a very slow boil and cook for 1 minute more. Strain the custard through the sieve into the bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the custard and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 1/2 hours.
• Prepare the puffs: Bring the butter, sugar, salt and 3/4 cup/175 milliliters water to a simmer over medium heat in a medium saucepan, stirring with a wooden spoon. As soon as it comes to a boil, add the flour, stirring constantly, until the dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring the dough occasionally.
• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Add the eggs to the dough in the pan, one at a time, stirring vigorously between each addition with a wooden spoon. The dough will break apart and slide around in the pot before it comes back together. Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a large round or star tip. (The author used Ateco #826.)
• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Pipe the dough into 4 1/2-inch-by-3/4-inch lengths about 3 inches apart. With a damp fingertip, flatten any points. Bake until éclairs are deep golden brown and puffed, rotating the sheets halfway through, 22 to 25 minutes. They should be very light and crisp. Turn the oven off. Poke each éclair on either end with a toothpick to allow some steam to release. Return the puffs to the oven and prop the door open a crack with a wooden spoon. Allow the puffs to dry out in the oven, about 15 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Prepare the glaze: Bring the heavy cream and salt to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate and corn syrup. Let the mixture stand for 1 minute and then whisk to make a smooth sauce.
• To finish the custard, whip the remaining 1/4 cup heavy cream to soft peaks. Whisk the cooled custard to loosen it, then fold in the whipped cream. Transfer the custard to a pastry bag fitted with a fluted tip. Slice the top third off each éclair and fill the bases of the éclairs with custard. Dip the tops of the éclairs in the glaze and set them on top of the custard-filled bases. Serve immediately.

CHOCOLATE ECLAIR CAKE

Steps:

• Line the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan with graham crackers. In a large bowl, combine the milk and vanilla pudding according to directions on box. Fold in the whipped topping. Spread a layer of the pudding mixture over the graham crackers. Alternate the graham cracker and pudding layers up to the top of the pan. Cook the container of prepared frosting, uncovered in the microwave for 1 minute on half power. Pour over the top of the cake. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours before serving.

CHOCOLATE-COVERED PUMPKIN ÉCLAIR CAKE

Steps:

• Beat pudding mix and milk in large bowl with whisk 2 min. Add pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice; mix well. Let stand 5 min. Meanwhile, cover bottom of 8-inch square pan with 10 graham squares, overlapping as needed to form even layer.
• Add 2-1/2 cups COOL WHIP to pudding mixture; whisk just until blended. Spread half the pudding mixture over graham squares in pan; cover with half the remaining graham squares. Repeat layers of pudding mixture and graham squares. Refrigerate 3 hours.
• Microwave remaining COOL WHIP with chocolate in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min. or until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended when stirred; spread over dessert. Refrigerate 15 min.

PUMPKIN-CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F with a rack in center. Bring a small pot of water (about 8 cups) to a boil. Assemble a 9-by-3-inch springform pan with raised side of bottom part facing up.
• For the Crust: In a food processor, grind wafers until fine (you should have 1 1/3 cups). Add butter, sugar, and salt; pulse until evenly moistened. Press evenly into bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of pan. Refrigerate 10 minutes. Bake until fragrant and firm, about 12 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack; reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
• For the Filling: Meanwhile, beat cream cheese and sugar on low speed until smooth; add flour and beat to combine. Add pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla and salt; beat to combine. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating to combine after each addition.
• Wrap springform pan in foil (to keep water from seeping in during baking); place in a roasting pan. Pour filling into crust. Place roasting pan in oven, add boiling water to come halfway up sides of springform pan. Bake until pie is puffed around edges and just a tiny bit wobbly in center, about 1 hour, 15 minutes. Transfer springform pan to wire rack; remove foil and let cool 20 minutes. Run a paring knife around edges and let cool completely on rack, about 4 hours. Transfer pan to refrigerator; cover loosely and chill at least 8 hours and up to 2 days.
• For the Caramel: Release sides of pan and remove cake. Cook sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Stop stirring and cook, swirling pan occasionally and brushing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush, until amber, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cream and salt (it will bubble up). Return to heat and simmer 1 minute, stirring to dissolve any hardened caramel. Stir in chocolate. Let cool 20 minutes, then pour over cake.
• Return cake to refrigerator until set, at least 30 minutes and up to overnight. For the cleanest slices when serving, use a knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry after each.