Strawberry and Champagne Eclairs

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Strawberry and Champagne Eclairs

Photo: Natalie Levin

Strawberries and champagne are known to be an aphrodisiac, and as so it’s the perfect combination in desserts for Valentine’s Day and other romantic events. The sweetness of the strawberries combines perfectly with the champagne, and creates a wonderful, festive dessert – these eclairs!

These beautiful eclairs are inspired by strawberry champagne cocktail, and are the perfect dessert to any of you who’d like to make something sweet for their valentines. They’re golden and crunchy eclairs filled with champagne cream, vanilla glaze and fresh strawberries on top. These eclairs would also be a great idea as dessert for Christmas and New year’s eve!

Strawberry and Champagne Eclairs

Photo: Natalie Levin



Strawberry and Champagne Eclairs

For the eclairs:

  • 320 ml. water
  • 10 grams sugar
  • 140 grams butter
  • 6 grams fine salt
  • 30 grams cornstarch
  • 180 grams all-purpose flour
  • 5-6 eggs (beaten)

For champagne cream:

  • 3 grams gelatin powder
  • 15 ml. water
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 50 grams sugar
  • 125 ml. champagne (or Cava)
  • 50 grams butter (at room temperature)
  • 175 ml. heavy cream

For vanilla glaze:

  • 150 grams white chocolate
  • 65 grams natural nappage
  • 45 ml. heavy cream
  • A little gold dust

Decoration:

  • Strawberry halves
  • Gold dust
  1. Make the eclairs: preheat oven to 180c degrees.
  2. In a medium saucepan put water, salt, sugar and butter and heat to a strong boil.
  3. Add cornstarch and flour and stir while cooking, until it turns into a lump of dough.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a serrated 2 cm piping tip. On a baking tray lined with baking paper pipe 8-10 cm long eclairs. It’s important to leave some space between the eclairs.
  7. Bake the eclairs in the shut-down oven for about 20-30 minutes until golden brown.
  8. Cool completely at room temperature.
  9. Make 2 small holes at the bottom of each eclair.
  10. Champagne cream: in a small bowl mix gelatin and water and set aside for 10 minutes at room temperature to absorb the liquid.
  11. In a heat-proof bowl over double-boiler mix egg yolks, sugar and Cava and whisk well until mixture is fluffy and light.
  12. Remove from heat, add in gelatin and beat until melted.
  13. Strain and add butter. Stir until completely dissolved.
  14. Cool the cream for 10-15 minutes in the refrigerator until it is at a temperature of about 35-40 degrees.
  15. In a mixer bowl, whip cream until you get a stable whipped cream and gently fold into the champagne cream until smooth.
  16. Transfer the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with 1/2 cm round piping tip and cool for about an hour in the refrigerator.
  17. Fill the eclairs with the cream, and keep in the refrigerator until glazing.
  18. Glaze: chop the chocolate and put in a bowl. Add nappage and cream and solvents together in the microwave or over double-boiler until everything is melted and mixture is smooth. Add gold powder and stir.
  19. Transfer the glaze into a wide plate to dip the eclairs in.
  20. Dip the top of the eclairs in the icing and shake excess chocolate. Put on baking pan and let cool for 15 minutes in the refrigerator until glaze is set.
  21. Place 2 strawberry halves on top of each éclair and sprinkle some gold dust.
  • Keep the eclairs in a closed container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days, but they are at their best on the day or two after preparation.
  • Instead of strawberries you can use raspberries or cherries.

Strawberry and Champagne Eclairs

Photo: Natalie Levin