Chocolate Pistachio Éclairs

By DreiFromBK

(makes about 10, depending how big you pipe them)

It looks like a lot of steps below but please don’t let that put you off. I made these éclairs in less than an hour, glazing them while on the phone to my Mum: once the choux pastry is made, it’s little more than an assembly job.

Ingredients

• For the choux pastry
• 50 g unsalted butter, cubed
• 50 ml full fat milk
• 75 ml water
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 1 tbsp golden caster sugar
• 125 g plain white flour, sifted
• 3 medium free range eggs, beaten
• For the pistachio cream
• 180 g pistachio paste (I used this one)
• 225 ml double cream
• For the chocolate ganache glaze
• 40 g milk chocolate, finely chopped
• 20 g dark chocolate, finely chopped
• 75 ml double cream
• 1/2 tsp liquid glucose
• Handful toasted pistachios, roughly chopped

Preparation

Step 1

For the choux pastry
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Place the butter, milk, water, salt and sugar in a large, heavy bottomed saucepan and bring quickly to the boil. As soon as it reaches boiling point and the butter is melted, add the flour, beating with a wooden spoon until a ball of dough forms that leaves the sides of the saucepan clean.

Lower the heat and beat the mixture for 30 seconds to dry it out slightly then remove from the heat and set aside to cool for 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing each thoroughly into the dough before adding the next. It may look a little lumpy at first – continue to beat and you’ll get a lovely smooth mixture.

Transfer the choux paste into a piping bag fitted with a large plain nozzle and pipe strips direct onto your baking parchment. To stop the paper moving around, dot a little choux paste under each corner and make sure you leave a little space between each line as they will puff up in the oven.

Bake for 20 minutes then without opening the oven door (you want to keep all the heat in), reduce the oven temperature to 180 degrees C and bake for a further 15 – 20 minutes until completely dry and crisp.

Remove from the oven, pierce a hole in the bottom of each one with a skewer to let any steam out and set aside while you make the cream and glaze (below).

For the pistachio cream
Whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Fold in the pistachio paste using a large metal spoon then transfer to a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle.

For the chocolate ganache glaze
Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring the cream to a simmer then remove from the heat and whisk in the glucose syrup.

Pour the cream mixture over the chocolate and leave to stand for 2 minutes. Using a spatula, gently stir the chocolate until the mixture is glossy and smooth.

To assemble
Using a sharp knife, split each éclair horizontally. Pipe the pistachio cream to fill the empty bottom half of each éclair then replace the top halves.

Glaze the éclairs with the ganache – I used a teaspoon although I’ve also seen people dip or use their finger to spread it across – then sprinkle with the toasted pistachios. Eat within a few hours of filling for crisp, delicious éclairs.