Description
Delight in these elegant Strawberry Eclairs featuring a delicate choux pastry filled with a luscious strawberry-infused pastry cream and topped with a shiny strawberry glaze and fresh strawberries. Perfect for a refined dessert or special occasion treat, these eclairs combine a crisp, golden exterior with a rich, creamy filling bursting with the fresh flavor of strawberries.
Ingredients
Scale
Choux Pastry
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
Pastry Cream
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Strawberry Whipped Cream Filling
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, diced
Topping and Glaze
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced (for topping)
- 1/2 cup strawberry jam
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prepare for the choux pastry baking.
- Make Choux Dough: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the unsalted butter, water, salt, and granulated sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil, allowing the butter to fully melt. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and add all the flour at once, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon until a smooth dough ball forms and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
- Incorporate Eggs: Remove the pan from heat and let the dough cool for 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until the dough becomes smooth and glossy and has the proper consistency for piping.
- Pipe the Eclairs: Transfer the dough into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe out 4-inch long logs onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them evenly.
- Bake the Pastry: Bake the choux pastries in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until they are puffed up and golden brown. Avoid opening the oven door during this time to prevent collapse. Once baked, remove from oven and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Prepare Pastry Cream: Heat whole milk in a saucepan until it just begins to simmer. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, cornstarch, and egg yolks. Gradually whisk the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture to temper it, then return the entire mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
- Finish Cream and Chill: Remove from heat, then stir in vanilla extract and unsalted butter until melted and smooth. Cover the surface of the pastry cream with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming and chill completely in the refrigerator.
- Make Strawberry Whipped Cream: In a chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream with powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the chilled pastry cream, then carefully fold in the diced fresh strawberries for a fresh fruity burst inside.
- Assemble the Eclairs: Slice each cooled eclair horizontally through the center. Fill the bottom halves generously with the strawberry whipped cream filling, then replace the tops.
- Prepare Glaze and Garnish: Warm the strawberry jam with water in a small saucepan until thin enough to spread easily. Strain the glaze if needed to remove any lumps. Brush or spoon the glaze over the tops of each filled eclair, then garnish with sliced fresh strawberries for an elegant finish.
- Chill before Serving: Refrigerate the assembled eclairs for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the cream to set before serving.
Notes
- Do not open the oven door during the initial 20 minutes of baking to prevent the choux from collapsing.
- The pastry cream must be cooled completely before folding in the whipped cream to maintain the proper texture.
- Use fresh, ripe strawberries for the best flavor in the filling and topping.
- Straining the strawberry glaze helps to achieve a smooth, glossy finish on top of the eclairs.
- Store assembled eclairs covered in the refrigerator and consume within 2 days for optimal freshness.
