Eclair Dogs Recipe

Makes 11
Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 2 hours

for the pate a choux:
8 tablespoons|113 grams unsalted butter
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup|125 grams bread flour
3 large eggs
3 large egg whites

for the mornay:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups|500 ml whole milk
1 small garlic clove, smashed
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard (Lusty Monk Original Sin is my favorite!)
 ¼ cup|30 grams grated Gruyere cheese

for the hot dog mousse:
8 of the finest hot dogs you can find, cold
4 tablespoons|56 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature

to serve:
onion, finely diced
chives, finely sliced
chive blossoms or small dill fronds
cornichons, finely sliced

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Place 1 cup|250 ml water, butter, sugar and salt in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the flour until completely combined.
2. Return the pot to medium heat and cook, stirring and mashing the paste, until a white film begins to form around the bottom of the pot. Cook for two minutes. Scrape the mixture in to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the eggs and egg whites one at a time, scraping after each addition, and mixing well. The mixture should be soft enough to fall from the beater and not form a peak. Place the pate a choux into a piping bag fitted with a medium open star tip. Pipe eclairs 5 inches long on parchment-lined baking sheet.
3. Bake the eclairs for 10 minutes. When they start to brown, open the oven briefly to let the steam in the oven escape. Continue baking 15 minutes more, until they are brown all over, including in their seams and ridges. Turn the heat down to 325 and continue to bake 10-12 minutes more until very light and dry. Let the eclairs cool completely, then cut them in half lengthwise, setting the bottoms to the side.
4. Meanwhile, make the mornay. In a small saucepan, bring the milk and garlic to a simmer. Remove from the heat and let sit 10 minutes. Remove the garlic and discard.
5. In another small saucepan, melt the butter. Remove from the heat and whisk in the flour. Return to the heat and cook, whisking continuously, for 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the milk gradually, to ensure lumps do not form. Return to medium heat and cook, whisking continuously, until the sauce begins to thicken. Turn the heat to low and stir in the mustard and cheese. Remove from heat and set aside.
6. Make the hot dog mousse: Cut the hot dogs into small pieces. Place them in a food processor. Process them until they are in fine pieces. Add the butter and continue processing until the mixture is smooth and whipped. Place the mousse in a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Set in the refrigerator
7. To serve, heat the oven to 325°F. Spread a small amount of the mornay on the tops as if you were glazing an eclair with chocolate. Return the tops to the oven for 5 minutes to lightly set them.
8. Pipe the hot dog mousse on the eclair bottom halves. Top with slices of cornichon and finely diced onion. Place the mornay-glazed tops on the eclairs. Garnish with finely sliced chives and chive blossoms or dill.

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