Cherry Eclairs with Mascarpone Cream and Pistachios

Whenever I want to impress with a beautiful dessert – I make eclairs. Eclair are one of my favorite desserts – I love the combination of a crunchy golden pastry filled with cream, and it makes such a great dessert you can make different each and every time.

These cherry eclairs are filled with mascarpone cream and cherries, and has a crunchy pistachio crumble layer on top. It’s festive and perfect for hosting a fancy dinner or brunch, and I’m sure you’ll like it too!

Cherry Eclairs with Mascarpone Cream and Pistachios

10 medium eclairs

For pistachio crumble:
100 grams cold butter
100 grams sugar
80 grams flour
20 grams pistachios
A pinch of salt

For pâte à choux:
125 ml. milk
A pinch of salt
30 grams sugar
50 grams butter
70 grams flour
2 eggs, whisked

For mascarpone cream:
225 grams mascarpone cheese
250 ml. whipping cream
2 tbsp. sugar powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. whipped cream stabilizer

150-200 grams fresh cherries
20-30 grams toasted, chopped pistachios

Preparation:

1. Pistachio crumble: put butter, sugar, flour, pistachios and salt in a food processor, and blend together until a dough forms.
2. Flatten the dough and cool for about an hour.
3. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough until about 2-3 mm. thick.
4. With a sharp knife cut 2*8 cm rectangles and keep in freezer until use.
5. Preheat oven to 190c degrees.
6. Pâte à choux: in a medium pan put milk, salt, sugar and butter and bring to a boil on high heat. Make sure all butter is melted.
7. Remove from stove and add flour. Stir together until a form dough forms.
8. Put dough in your electric mixer bowl with a paddle attachment and whisk for about 2-3 minutes.
9. Add about half of the egg mixture and keep blending on medium speed. The dough will appear broken, but after a few more seconds it will be ok.
10. Gradually add the rest of the eggs until mixture is soft and smooth.
11. Transfer the batter into a piping bag fitted with large 2 cm serrated piping tip.
12. Drizzle 10 eclairs at intervals each about 8-9 cm long on a baking pan lined with baking paper.
13. Place a pistachio crumble rectangle on top of each éclair.
14. Bake for about 15 minutes in 190c degrees. Than decrease the heat to 180c degrees and continue baking for about 10-15 minutes until golden brown and completely set.
15. Allow cooking at room temperature.
16. Cut each éclair into 2 parts.
17. Mascarpone cream: in a mixer bowl whip mascarpone, cream, sugar powder, vanilla extract and cream stabilizer until firm and creamy.
18. Transfers the cream into a piping bag fitted with 1-2 cm serrated tip, and fill the eclairs generously.
19. Arrange some fresh cherry halves and “sandwich” with the other part of each éclair.
20. Drizzle some mascarpone cream on top, and serve with whole cherries and chopped pistachios.

Notes:

• Eclairs are at its best on the day of preparation.
• You can use raspberries of strawberries instead of cherries.