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Recipe Detail Page
Pistachio & Orange Éclairs
Spring 2015
Prepare recipe for Éclairs Modernes (below).
1 Begin by making a pistachio paste by blanching ¼ cup (60 mL) unsalted pistachios in boiling water for 1 minute. Remove with
a slotted spoon to a clean dish towel, enclose and rub nuts between towel to remove skins. Leave skins behind and place pistachios in a food processor along with 1 tbsp (15 mL) ground almonds, 1 tbsp (15 mL) icing sugar, 3 drops almond extract and 1 drop green food colouring (optional); process to a smooth paste. Whisk pistachio paste into chilled custard before folding in whipped cream.
2 For glaze, combine 1 tbsp (15 mL) finely grated orange zest, 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp (15 mL plus 5 mL) orange juice, 1 tsp (5 mL) orange blossom water (optional) and 1 cup (250 mL) icing sugar; stir.
ÉCLAIRS MODERNES
PASTRY
½ cup (125 mL) milk
½ cup (125 mL) water
2 tbsp (30 mL) sugar
¼ tsp (1 mL) salt
½ cup (125 mL) unsalted butter (1 stick)
½ tsp (2 mL) vanilla extract
1¼ cups (310 mL) all-purpose flour
4 eggs
BASIC PASTRY CREAM
3 egg yolks
¼ cup (60 mL) sugar
2 tbsp (30 mL) all-purpose flour
2 tbsp (30 mL) cornstarch
1½ cups (375 mL) whole milk
1 cup (250 mL) whipping cream
2 tbsp (30 mL) icing sugar
1 Arrange oven racks in top and middle positions. Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C).
2 In a medium pot over medium heat, combine milk, water, sugar, salt and butter; bring to a boil. Whisk in vanilla. Add flour all at once and stir until mixture comes away from the side of the pot. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook mixture, stirring all the while, for 3 minutes longer.
3 Remove from heat and turn out into a large mixing bowl (or bowl of a stand mixer). Beat with an electric mixer (or with the paddle attachment of stand mixer) for 3 minutes to cool somewhat. Continue to beat and add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Transfer mixture to a piping bag fitted with a ½-inch (1-cm) round or French pastry tip. Twist bag to enclose batter and let rest for 20 minutes.
4 Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Pipe batter into two-dozen 4-inch-long (10-cm) batons, a scant ¾-inch (2-cm) wide, allowing for equal space between them. Place in oven and immediately reduce heat to 350°F (180°C). Bake, switching racks midway through, for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden, puffed and crisp. Allow to cool on a rack.
5 To make basic pastry cream, mix egg and sugar together in a large heatproof bowl. Sift flour and cornstarch together and add to egg mixture. Stir to form a smooth paste.
6 Heat milk to a boil in a medium saucepan; remove from heat and whisk slowly into egg mixture. Return mixture to pot and set over medium-low heat. Whisking constantly, bring mixture back to a boil; cook 1 minute longer. Pour into a heatproof bowl, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate until chilled.
7 In a separate large bowl, whip cream to soft peaks. Add icing sugar and whip to stiff peaks.
8 Stir chilled pastry cream; fold in one-third of whipped cream. Fold in remaining whipped cream.
9 Cut éclairs in half to form a top and bottom. Decoratively pipe desired filling (recipe above) onto bottoms. Decorate tops with appropriate glaze and place on top of pastry cream.
Makes 24
