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Recipe Detail Page
Éclairs with Lime Basil Curd
Early Summer 2012
The trend in Paris right now is choux pastry desserts. Macarons have seen their day (though they are still everywhere) but éclairs and other similar patisserie are gaining ground. However, these new éclairs are different in that the fillings are much more interesting. I have devised a lime basil curd that has an unusual but superb flavour.
CHOUX PASTRY
¾ cup (175 mL) water
3 tbsp (45 mL) butter
Pinch of salt
2 tbsp (30 mL) granulated sugar
¾ cup (175 mL) all-purpose flour
3 eggs
CURD
4 egg yolks
½ cup (125 mL) granulated sugar
1/3 cup (80 mL) fresh lime juice
2 tsp (10 mL) grated lime rind
6 whole basil leaves
½ cup (125 mL) unsalted cold butter, cut in 8 pieces
ICING
1 tbsp (15 mL) unsalted butter, melted
1 tbsp (15 mL) lime juice
2 tsp (10 mL) grated lime rind
¾ cup (175 mL) icing sugar
1 Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
2 Bring water, butter, salt and sugar to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and mix in flour at once. Beat together with a wooden spoon until flour is all incorporated. Continue to beat until dough leaves sides of pot and a film has covered the bottom of the pot, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
3 Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, with a wooden spoon until fully incorporated and the mixture is very shiny and soft.
4 Transfer dough to a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pipe lines of dough about 4 inches (10 cm) long and about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide. Bake for 25 to 28 minutes or until pastry is brown and crisp. Let cool.
5 Place egg yolks for curd in a heavy pot. Whisk together with sugar, lime juice and rind. Stir In basil leaves.
6 Place pot over medium heat and whisk in cold butter, a few pieces at a time, until incorporated. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring, or until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Do not allow to boil or it will curdle. The mixture will thicken more as it cools. Remove basil leaves and discard.
7 Scrape curd into a bowl and press a sheet of plastic wrap onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Cool and refrigerate.
8 Combine butter, lime juice and rind and beat in icing sugar until fully combined and smooth. You should have a shiny and just slightly runny icing.
9 Slice éclairs horizontally and fill with curd. Glaze tops of éclairs with lime icing.
Makes about 14 éclairs
