Description
These Strawberry Eclairs are a delightful twist on the classic French dessert, featuring a rich strawberry custard filling and a vibrant pink chocolate glaze. The eclair pastry is light and airy, making it the perfect vessel to hold the creamy custard. With a sweet, colorful glaze on top, these eclairs are both visually stunning and delicious.
Ingredients
-
For the Eclair Pastry:
-
1 cup water
-
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
-
¼ teaspoon salt
-
2 teaspoons white sugar
-
1 cup all-purpose flour
-
3 eggs (plus 1 extra if needed)
For the Egg Wash:
-
1 egg
-
2 teaspoons water
For the Strawberry Custard Filling:
-
(Use your preferred strawberry custard recipe here, or if you’d like, I can help you craft one!)
For the Pink Chocolate Glaze:
-
8 oz white chocolate, coarsely chopped
-
Pink gel food coloring (to desired color)
-
Instructions
-
For the Eclair Pastry:
-
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
-
In a medium saucepan, combine water, butter, salt, and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
-
Once the butter has melted and the mixture is boiling, add the flour all at once, stirring quickly with a wooden spoon. Continue stirring until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan and forms a ball, about 1-2 minutes.
-
Remove the pan from heat and let it cool for about 5 minutes.
-
Add the eggs one at a time, stirring well after each addition until the dough is smooth and glossy. If the dough seems too thick, add the extra egg to reach a smoother consistency.
-
Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip.
-
Pipe 3-4 inch long strips of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
-
For the egg wash, whisk together the egg and water. Brush the egg wash lightly over the top of each eclair to give them a golden finish as they bake.
-
Bake the eclairs for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed. Avoid opening the oven door during the first 15 minutes of baking to prevent them from deflating.
-
Once baked, remove from the oven and let the eclairs cool completely on a wire rack.
For the Strawberry Custard Filling:
-
Prepare your strawberry custard according to your preferred recipe. Typically, it will involve cooking milk, sugar, and cornstarch to create a thick, creamy custard, then incorporating pureed strawberries for the fruity flavor.
-
Once the custard is made, allow it to cool to room temperature.
-
Once the eclairs have cooled, fill a piping bag with the strawberry custard and carefully pipe the custard into each eclair by poking a small hole in the side or bottom of the pastry.
For the Pink Chocolate Glaze:
-
Melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a double boiler or in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring each time until smooth.
-
Once the chocolate is melted, add a few drops of pink gel food coloring and stir until the desired pink shade is achieved.
-
Dip the tops of each eclair into the pink glaze and place them back onto the wire rack to allow the glaze to set.
-
Notes
-
To ensure the eclairs are crisp, bake them until they are golden brown and dry inside.
-
If you don’t have a piping bag, you can use a plastic sandwich bag with the tip cut off to pipe the dough and the custard.
-
You can make the eclairs ahead of time and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Pastry
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: French, Pastry
Keywords: strawberry eclairs, eclair pastry, strawberry custard, pink chocolate glaze, homemade eclairs, French pastries, dessert recipe