Servings: 16 mini éclairs
Calories: 173.9kcal
Ingredients
Éclairs
- 1/4 cup water ~60 ml
- 1/4 cup milk ~60 ml
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter ~45 g
- 2½ oz all-purpose flour ~70 g
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1¼ tsp sugar 6 g
- 2 large eggs ~95 g after cracking
- powdered sugar for dusting
Strawberry Pastry Cream
- 1 cup milk ~240 g
- 1 cup strawberry puree ~240 g, made from about 340 g strawberries
- 4 egg yolks medium or large, about 60–70 g
- 5 tbsp cornstarch 35 g
- 7 tbsp sugar ~87 g, more to taste
- 1 tbsp lemon juice ~15 g, optional
- 1 tsp vanilla extract optional
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter ~28 g
White Chocolate Ganache
- 1/4 cup heavy cream 60 g
- 2/3 cup white chocolate, finely chopped ~115 g
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter 14 g, optional but recommended for shine
Instructions
Strawberry Pastry Cream
- Prep the strawberries. If using frozen, thaw and cook them gently until soft enough to blend. If using fresh, wash and remove the stems.1 cup strawberry puree
- Puree and strain. Blend the strawberries into a smooth puree, then strain through a fine mesh sieve. The finer the strainer, the silkier the cream.
- Heat the milk. Add the milk, sugar, and vanilla extract to a saucepan. Heat over medium until it just begins to steam and is close to a boil.1 cup milk, 7 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Prepare the yolk mixture. While the milk heats, whisk the egg yolks, strawberry puree, and cornstarch in a large heatproof bowl until smooth. Make sure the puree isn't hot before adding the yolks.4 egg yolks, 5 tbsp cornstarch
- Temper the eggs. Remove the hot milk from the heat. Slowly pour it into the yolk mixture in a steady stream, whisking constantly.
- Cook until thick and bubbling. Return the mixture to the saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly. Once it thickens and begins to bubble, reduce the heat and whisk for another 30–60 seconds to cook out the raw starch taste.
- Whisk off the heat. Remove from the heat and continue whisking for 30–60 seconds — this loosens the cream slightly so it sets smooth rather than overly stiff.
- Add the butter. Stir in the butter until fully melted and smooth.2 tbsp unsalted butter
- Taste and adjust. Add lemon juice if the cream needs a bit of acidity, or more sugar or a pinch of salt to taste.1 tbsp lemon juice
- Cool. Transfer to a bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Cool at room temperature, then refrigerate until needed.
Éclairs
- Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C).
- Combine and boil. Add the butter, milk, water, salt, and sugar to a saucepan and bring to a boil, making sure the butter is fully melted.1/4 cup water, 1/4 cup milk, 3 tbsp unsalted butter, 1/4 tsp salt, 1¼ tsp sugar
- Add the flour. Remove from the heat and add all the flour at once. Stir to combine, then return to low heat and stir for 2–3 minutes until a smooth dough forms and a thin film appears on the bottom of the pan.2½ oz all-purpose flour
- Cool the dough. Transfer the dough to a bowl, spreading it up the sides to help it cool faster. Let it rest for 5–10 minutes.
- Incorporate the eggs. Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl. Mix the dough with a hand mixer, then gradually add the eggs. Stop when the dough passes the V-shape test — it should slowly fall off a spatula and form a V at the tip.2 large eggs
- Pipe. Pipe 4–5 inch strips onto a lined baking sheet (2.5–3 inches for minis). Dust with powdered sugar.powdered sugar
- Bake. Place in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 356°F (180°C). Bake for 35–40 minutes (30–35 for minis), venting the oven door slightly in the last 5 minutes. Cool completely before filling.
Ganache
- Chop the chocolate. Finely chop the white chocolate into small, even pieces for clean, even melting.2/3 cup white chocolate, finely chopped
- Heat the cream. Warm the heavy cream until just below boiling — look for small bubbles at the edges. Don't let it reach a rolling boil.1/4 cup heavy cream
- Pour and rest. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and leave it undisturbed for 2–3 minutes.
- Stir to emulsify. Stir with a spatula until smooth and glossy. For extra smoothness, blend briefly with an immersion blender.
- Add the butter. If using, stir in the butter while the ganache is still warm until fully incorporated.1 tbsp unsalted butter
Assembly
- Poke the holes. Use a small round piping tip or a paring knife to poke three holes in the bottom of each éclair (two for minis), just large enough for the piping tip to fit.
- Loosen the pastry cream. If chilled, break it up with a fork, then whisk until smooth and pipeable.
- Fill the éclairs. Pipe the pastry cream through the holes until it starts to emerge from an adjacent hole or any crack.
- Top with ganache. The ganache should be thick but fluid — like syrup or honey. If it's too thin, chill it briefly in a cold water bath, stirring often; if too thick, warm it gently. Dip the top of each éclair into the ganache and smooth away any excess.
- Decorate. Top with fresh strawberries if you like.
- Serve or refrigerate. Enjoy right away or store in the fridge, tightly covered.
Notes
- Optional ingredients excluded from macros: lemon juice, vanilla extract.
Nutrition
Calories: 173.9kcal | Carbohydrates: 16.9g | Protein: 3.2g | Fat: 10.6g | Fiber: 0.4g
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