Eclairs are one of my favorite French desserts. It’s so versatile and I love how I can make it different each and every time – in color, tastes, texture and decoration.
Theses lemon eclairs are crunchy on the outside, filled with lemon cream and topped with strawberry glaze. The combination of lemon and strawberry is sweet and beautiful, and if you like it – I’m sure you’re going to love these eclairs.
Photo: Natalie Levin
Strawberry Lemon 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)
Lemon cream:
- 6 grams gelatin powder
- 30 ml. water
- 4 large eggs
- 120 grams sugar
- 170 ml. lemon juice
- 175 grams soft butter
Strawberry glaze:
- 150 grams white chocolate
- 65 grams natural nappage
- 45 grams strawberry puree
- A little red food coloring (optional)
Decoration:
- Some whipped cream
- Make the eclairs: preheat oven to 180c degrees.
- In a medium saucepan put water, salt, sugar and butter and heat to a strong boil.
- Add cornstarch and 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 6-7 cm long eclairs. It’s important to leave some space between the eclairs.
- Bake the eclairs in the shut-down oven for about 20-30 minutes until golden brown.
- Cool completely at room temperature.
- Make 2 small holes at the bottom of each eclair.
- Lemon Cream: in a small bowl mix gelatin and water and set aside for 15 minutes at room temperature, until the gelatin absorbs all the liquid.
- In a medium saucepan whisk eggs, sugar, salt and juice until blended.
- Place the pot over medium heat and cook while whisking constantly, until you get a thick cream.
- Remove from heat and add in the gelatin. Beat the mixture until it melts.
- Strain the cream and add butter. Beat the mixture until dissolved and smooth.
- Transfer the cream into a sealed container and refrigerate for two hours or until it is completely cold and firm.
- Transfer the cream into a piping bag fitted with 1/2 cm round piping tip.
- Fill the eclairs, and keep in the refrigerator until glaze is prepared.
- Strawberry glaze: chop the chocolate and put in a bowl. Add nappage and strawberry puree and solvents together in the microwave or over double-boiler until blended. If desired, add a little food coloring until you reach the desired shade.
- Transfer the glaze into a flat container and coat the top of each éclair. Refrigerate for 15 minutes to set.
- Transfer the whipped cream into a piping bag with a small jagged piping tip and drizzle tiny “flowers” on top of the eclairs.
- Keep the lemon 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.
Photo: Natalie Levin