Chocolate Éclair Cake

STEP 1

To make pudding, combine 1 cup sugar, cornstarch and 1/4 teaspoon salt in large saucepan. Whisk 3 3/4 cups milk into sugar mixture until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking constantly. Once boiling, reduce heat to low; continue whisking 5-7 minutes or until thickened. (While boiling, scrape bottom frequently with rubber spatula.) Remove from heat; stir in 3 tablespoons butter and vanilla. Pour into large bowl. Cover with plastic food wrap, pressing gently so wrap is touching pudding. Refrigerate 2 hours or until cool.

Tip: Whisking Pudding

STEP 2

Meanwhile, to make graham crackers, combine flours, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon salt in bowl. Combine egg, melted butter, honey and 2 tablespoons milk in another bowl. Add to flour mixture; stir until just combined. Turn out onto counter; gently knead until dough comes together. Wrap in plastic food wrap; refrigerate at least 1 hour. 

STEP 3

Heat oven to 300°F.

STEP 4

Remove graham cracker dough from refrigerator. Divide dough in half; roll each half out onto parchment paper, flouring if necessary to prevent sticking, until 1/16 inch thick. Place dough and parchment paper onto baking sheets. Bake 5 minutes, then rotate pans; contine baking 5 more minutes. Remove from oven; cut into 2x3-inch rectangles, but do not separate. Gently poke each graham cracker with chopstick to create signature graham cracker look. Return to oven; continue baking 20 minutes, rotating pans halfway through. Turn oven off; open door for 3 minutes. Close oven door; leave crackers in oven 20 minutes to dry out. Remove from oven; transfer to cooling racks to cool completely.

STEP 5

Stir water and gelatin together in small bowl. Let sit 5 minutes. Microwave mixture 15-30 seconds or until mixture starts to bubble and gelatin is dissovled. Set aside.

STEP 6

Beat 1 1/2 cups whipping cream in bowl at high speed, scraping bowl often, until soft peaks form. Add gelatin mixture; continue beating at high speed until stiff peaks form. 

STEP 7

Whisk one-third of whipped cream into chilled pudding. Gently fold remaining whipped cream into pudding until combined.

STEP 8

Cover bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish with graham crackers, breaking if necessary to cover. Top with half of pudding mixture (about 4 cups) and another layer of graham crackers. Repeat once more with remaining pudding and graham crackers. 

Tip: Building Layers

STEP 9

Place chocolate chips into medium bowl. Place 3/4 cup whipping cream into small saucepan; cook over low heat until bubbles form around edge of pan. Pour over chocolate chips; let sit 1 minute. Stir until chocolate chips are melted and smooth. Pour over graham crackers and gently spread to cover top of cake. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. (Top will crack.)

Tip: Spreading Chocolate