Looking for a great dairy free dessert? Try these dairy free eclairs. They are filled with vanilla coconut cream, strawberries and topped with chocolate
Photo: Benny Gam Zo Letova
Dairy Free Eclairs Filled with Vanilla Coconut Cream, Strawberries and Chocolate
10 medium eclairs
For choux pastry:
125 ml. water
Pinch of salt
30 grams sugar
50 ml. vegetable oil
70 grams all-purpose flour
2 beaten eggs
For vanilla coconut cream:
250 grams coconut cream (at least 17% fat)
70 grams sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla paste (or vanilla extract)
25 grams corn starch
For chocolate decoration:
100 grams melted dark chocolate
1/2 tsp. vegetable oil
10-12 sliced strawberries
Preparation:
Make the eclairs:
- preheat oven to 190c degrees.
- Choux pastry: in a medium saucepan put water, salt, sugar and oil and heat to a strong boil.
- Add flour and stir while cooking, until it turns into a lump of dough.
- Transfer the dough to the bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment and mix on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until it cools down a little.
- Add the eggs gradually while beating until dough is elastic and smooth. Check the readiness of dough by creating a “trail” with a wooden spoon in the center of the dough – if the track remains stable, add some eggs, and if it closes a bit – the dough is ready. It is important not to add too many eggs to the dough or it may become too soft and ruined.
- Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a serrated 2 cm piping tip.
- On a baking tray lined with baking paper, pipe about 10 medium eclairs. It’s important to leave some space between the eclairs.
- Baking: bake for 12-15 minutes at first. Than reduce oven temperature to 180c degrees and continue to bake for 7-10 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Cool completely before filling.
- Once cooled, cut the eclairs lengthwise before filling.
Coconut and vanilla cream:
- In a small pan put coconut cream and vanilla and bring to a simmer.
- In a separate bowl whisk egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch.
- Pour about 1/3 of cream mixture into the egg yolks while whisking well until incorporated. Then add the remaining cream and continue to mix until blended.
- Return the cream to the pan and cook over medium heat while whisking until a thick pastry cream
- Remove from the heat and transfer into a flat container. Cover the surface with plastic wrap and chill for 2-3 hours until completely cold.
- Transfer the cream into a bowl and whisk, until it returns to its original texture.
- Transfer the cream into a piping bag and fill the eclairs. Add sliced strawberries and close the top.
Decorate:
- mix melted chocolate and oil in a small bowl and transfer into a small piping bag.
- Drizzle small strips of melted dark chocolate on top of each éclair and serve.
Notes:
- Keep the eclairs in a closed container in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days. Add the strawberries just before serving.
- You can use raspberries or blueberries instead of strawberries.