For these éclairs the choux pastry is filled with a crème pâtissière and coated with a simple white icing.
Éclairs
Prepares: 8 éclairs
- Preparation time: 45 minutes
- Cooking time: 20 minutes
- Ingredients
- For the choux pastry
- 140ml/5 fl oz cold water
- 50g/2 oz butter, cut into small pieces
- 70g/2½ oz strong plain flour/all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp caster sugar/fine white flour
- 2 eggs, large (U.K.)/extra large (N.A.), well beaten
- For the crème pâtissière
- 200ml/7fl oz full-fat milk/whole milk
- 50g/2 oz caster sugar/fine white sugar
- 2 egg yolks, large (U.K.)/extra large (N.A.)
- 20g/¾ oz cornflour/cornstarch
- 20g/¾ oz butter, cut into small pieces
- For the icing
- 225g/8 oz icing sugar
- 5 tsp boiling water
- Equipment
- Two nylon piping bags, one fitted with a plain 1cm/½ inch nozzle for piping the choux pastry and the other with a long thin nozzle for filling the éclairs.
- A large baking sheet
- Method
- For the choux pastry
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.
- The ingredients need to be measured out first.
- Put the water in a pan together with the butter and put to one side.
- Next weigh out the flour and sieve onto a piece of parchment paper with the sugar. Set to one side. Using the parchment paper like a funnel will allow the flour to be tipped into the melted butter very quickly.
- Now, place the pan of water and butter over a moderate heat and stir with a wooden spoon until the butter has melted and the mixture comes to the boil. The pan needs to be removed from the heat as soon as the mixture boils to prevent too much evaporation of the water. Holding the paper like a funnel, immediately tip in the flour and sugar. Beat vigorously with the wooden spoon or use a hand held electric whisk. Keep beating until the mixture has become a smooth ball of paste that has left the sides of the pan clean.
- Beat in the eggs, a little at a time, beating well between each addition until the paste has become smooth and glossy.
- Lightly grease a baking sheet and then sprinkle on a little cold water. This will create steam and will help the choux pastry rise.
- Spoon the pastry into the piping bag and pipe eight, 7.5cm/3 inch lengths, onto the baking sheet.
- Bake the éclairs on a high shelf for 10 minutes, then increase the temperature to 220°C/425°F/gas mark 7 and bake for a further 8–10 minutes until lightly golden.
- Remove to a wire rack and gently make a small hole with a skewer in the side of each éclair to allow any steam to escape. This will prevent them from becoming soggy. Leave to cool completely.
- For the crème pâtissière
- Pour the milk into a pan and bring to the boil, then remove from the heat.
- Put the sugar, egg yolks and cornflour/cornstarch in a large mixing bowl and whisk together. Pour a little of the hot milk onto the mixture, whisking continuously to loosen the mixture a little. Then gradually pour in the remaining hot milk and whisk until smooth. Return to the pan and, over a low heat, cook the mixture, stirring continuously, until it thickens.
- Remove from the heat and beat in the butter until it has melted. Leave to cool, covering the surface with cling film to prevent a skin forming on the top. Refrigerate to chill.
- Once chilled, spoon into the piping bag fitted with the long thin nozzle. Using the hole that was made with the skewer, carefully fill the éclairs with the crème pâtissière.
- For the icing
- Measure the boiling water into a small bowl and sift in the icing sugar. Beat well to mix. The icing should be stiff. More water or sifted icing sugar can be added to achieve the right consistency.
- Cover the top of the éclairs with the icing and smooth with a palette knife.
