Try the ‘Grey Stuff’ in Eclairs: Inspired by BEAUTY & THE BEAST! ~ #BeOurGuest #BeautyAndTheBeast

All this week I’ve been sharing with you exciting tidbits center around the upcoming Disney film, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. You’ve seen the new trailer, new still images, a new poster… and now I have a new recipe to share! Over the summer I shared with you my recipe for a French Apple Tart, inspired by the film. Today I give you the recipe to make eclairs! So what makes my version of this French pastry classic a little different? The filling is the famous “grey stuff” from the 1991 animated version of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST!

Be our guest! Be our guest!
Put our service to the test
Tie your napkin ’round your neck, cherie
And we’ll provide the rest
Soup du jour
Hot hors d’oeuvres
Why, we only live to serve
Try the grey stuff
It’s delicious!
Don’t believe me? Ask the dishes

With the famous words sung by everyone’s favorite animated candlestick (because you know, and I know, Lumiere was definitely a stand out in this movie!), I always did wonder what is the “grey stuff.”

Years later Disney confirmed with the Be Our Guest restaurant, that it is indeed a sweet dessert. And quite simple to make I might add! Here is an easy tutorial on how to make ‘Grey Stuff’ Eclairs…

Ingredients

Grey Stuff
1 (3.4 ounce) package of Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
1 1/2 cups  of milk (preferable Whole or 2%)
15 chocolate sandwich cookies (Oreos)
1 (8 ounce) tub of Whipped Topping (Cool Whip)
3 tablespoons of Instant Chocolate Pudding Mix

Eclair Pastry
1 cup of water
8 tablespoons of unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar
1 cup of all-purpose flour
3 eggs

Egg Wash
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons of water

Glaze
1/2 cup of heavy cream
4 ounces of semisweet chocolate, chopped

Directions for Eclairs

First let’s make the ‘grey stuff.’ Combine the entire package of vanilla pudding mix with the milk in a large bowl. Mix it with a whisk. Then refrigerate for 5 to 10 minutes.

Next blend the cookies in a food processor until they are small bits or crumbs. You do not want there to be any large chunks. No worries if you don’t have a food processor. Another way to turn the cookies into crumbs is by placing them in a freezer bag and rolling/smashing with a rolling pin.

Then mix your pudding with the crushed cookies. Once the mixture has turned dark grey, gently fold in the whipped topping. As a result, this will lighten the ‘stuff’ up! Finally, mix in the chocolate pudding mix. Stir well and place back in the refrigerator for one hour to chill.

While the ‘stuff’ is chilling, let’s work on the eclairs! Go ahead and preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Take a sheet pan and line it with parchment paper. Take a large pan, and add in the water, butter, salt, and sugar over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Once it hits that boil, take the pan off the heat. Add in the flour, while stirring. Stir heard for about 30 to 60 seconds. Then return the pan to the heat, and cook for another 30 seconds.

Place your mixture in a mix bowling. Now using either an electric mixer, hand mixer, or elbow grease, add in one egg at a time, while the mixer is running. You will want to scrape the sides of the bowl while mixing, because this really helps get all the contents blended well. As a result, your dough should be smooth and glossy. It will also be thick, but should fall offer the beaters slowly when you lift them out of the bowl. If the dough isn’t quite that consistency yet, feel free to add in a fourth egg.

Next you will need your pastry bag. Fit it with a large plain tip, and pip your eclairs. You’ll want them fat, but make sure you leave 2 inches of space between each one. I usually am able to pipe out 8 to 10 pastries.

To make the egg wash, whisk together the egg and water. Then brush the tops of the eclairs with the wash. You can use your finger if need be to smooth out any bumps in the dough. Next bake the eclairs for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven to 375 degrees. Bake another 25 minutes, or until the eclairs are puffed and golden brown. Try your best not to open the door too often while baking. Then let the eclairs cool (on the baking sheet is fine).

Now take a medium plan tip and manually make a hole in the end of each eclair. An easy way to do this is just by placing the tip on your finger.

Now take a clean pastry bag and fill it with your ‘grey stuff’ mixture. Using a medium plain tip, gently pipe the filling into the eclair. Don’t over stuff them.

Finally it’s time for the glaze! In a small pan, place the heavy cream over medium heat until it boils. Then quickly turn the heat off! Place the chocolate in a mixing bowl and pour the hot cream over it. Whisk the chocolate and cream until it is all melted and smooth.

Take each eclair and carefully dip the tops of each one into the warm glaze. Set back on the sheet pan. Place the finished eclairs back in the refrigerator to chill for one hour. This will help set the glaze.

Once the glaze is set, go ahead and serve the eclairs chilled! These desserts are perfect for any fan of Disney and french pastries. I can’t stress enough how simple they are to make as well. You don’t need be a French-trained pastry chef to create delicious BEAUTY AND THE BEAST inspired treats!

Did you know that Disney’s animated version of the classic celebrated it’s 25th anniversary back in September? Why not bake these delicious treats and serve at a viewing party to get ready for Disney’s live action version? BEAUTY AND THE BEST arrives in theaters March 17, 2017.

Beauty And The Beast Trailer

Don’t forget to connect with film on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

As I mentioned above, be sure to check out our delicious recipe for a French Apple Tart, inspired by the film.

I received the above trailer as a blogger via Walt Disney Publications. All opinions and thoughts expressed are 100% my own.