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February 2003

It's no accident that February (home of Valentine's Day) is "Heart Month". Visit the Health Alliance Heart Services website www.besthearthealth.com where you can do a risk assessment by clicking on the Test Yourself icon and learn the warning signs of a heart attack. The American Heart Association also has a very informative website where you can create a personal report with questions you need to ask your doctor, and much more."

It really wouldn’t be Valentine’s Day without something chocolate! Solid chocolate, however, is relatively high in fat and more than half the fat is saturated. Cocoa powder, on the other hand, is “defatted” chocolate and is, therefore, much lower in fat (see this month’s Ingredient Substitution). This is good news because cocoa powder can be used instead of solid chocolate in many recipes (see this month’s FYI). 

Our recipe for Double Chocolate Éclairs originally called for chocolate chips in the frosting. We were able to use cocoa powder which helped lower the fat from 14 grams to 5 per serving. 

This delicious dessert will please the chocolate-lovers in your house. Happy Valentine’s Day.             

For Your Information: Use 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder for each ounce of solid, unsweetened baking chocolate.

Filling:   1 package (3.5 ounces) chocolate pudding and pie filling 2 cups skim milk Pastry:   7 tablespoons light (5 grams fat per serving) margarine 1 cup water 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 cup flour 4 eggs Frosting:   1 tablespoon light (5 grams fat per serving) margarine 2 tablespoons cocoa 1-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar 2-3 tablespoons skim milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling:  Cook pudding according to package directions using skim milk. Chill for 1 hour. 
Pastry:  Preheat oven to 400º. Spray large baking sheet with vegetable oil spray. In heavy saucepan, heat margarine, water and salt over medium-high heat until mixture boils and margarine melts. Reduce heat to low. Vigorously stir in flour all at once until mixture forms ball. Transfer pastry to bowl; cool for 5 minutes. Stir in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Drop dough into 12 mounds, about 5 inches apart, on prepared baking sheet. Spread each mound into 1x4-inch rectangle, piling dough on top and slightly rounding sides. Bake in 400º oven for 35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven; make 1-inch long slit on side of each eclair. Reduce oven temperature to 375º; bake for 10 minutes more. Transfer eclairs to wire rack to cool.
Frosting:  In small saucepan, melt margarine over low heat; remove from heat. Whisk in cocoa, sugar, milk, and vanilla; beat until smooth.
Assembly:  Slice off top 1/3 of pastry. Spoon about 2-1/2 tablespoons of filling into bottom half; replace tops. Spread tops of eclairs with frosting.