Dear Meeta,

I am so sorry I can’t possibly get this lovely Chocolate Eclair Daring Baker’s Challenge from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé done this month.  I’m only home a week and my house is knee deep in dust and chaos with company coming . . .

Yeah, right I was going to write that.  NOT!

Noway, nohow could I miss another DB challenge!  And one from my lovely friend Meeta.  By hook or by crook or up all night, I do eclair there must be eclair here!

Our hosts this month: Meeta and Tony.  The recipe from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé can be found on their sites.

I think this is about as unassuming and innocuous as it gets.  Looks a little like mash potatoes but it’s pâte à choux.  A long time ago we did another pâte à choux.  Do you remember this one?  With pâte à choux, it’s a bit of a shock when you read to put all the flour into boiling water with butter.  It goes against all my gravy making experience.  I did get clumps and lumps but somehow with some really heavy stirring it does go smooth.

Pipe these babies onto parchment and bake.  Pretty, yes? 

With room to fill.

Since our gracious host only required one of the chocolate elements, I went with my banana pudding for a filling. 

Except as I took it off the stove, there was a jar of peanut butter sitting out.  Where did that come from?  Umm, two tablespoons left.  What to do with two tablespoons of peanut butter.  Divide the pudding and mix in the peanut butter. 

Now if only I’d had some peanuts to put on top of the chocolate.

Most excellent!!  Now it’s coffee and back to the house dust!!