Thread by @lifesafeast

Frangipane Éclairs or Choux #RecipeoftheDay

This recipe for choux pastry is slightly different than the one I posted this week: the addition of milk makes a more deeply golden, crisper pastry which stands up to a cream filling better. But use either. Filling recipe follows.

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1/ Choux pastry # 2

INGREDIENTS

Handful slivered blanched almonds

1/3 cup (80 ml) milk
1/3 cup (80 ml) water
5 tablespoons (70 grams) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon (10 grams) white sugar
1 large pinch salt
4/5 cup (100 grams) flour
2 large eggs

Powdered sugar for serving

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Preheat oven to 300° (150°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment or oven paper.

Place the milk, water, butter cut in cubes, the sugar & salt in a pot and heat over high heat. Bring to the boil & allow to boil for about 3 seconds.

Remove from the heat & add the

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flour all at once. Stir to blend, then mix vigorously until it is homogenous.

Return the pot to the heat & “dry” the dough by stirring vigorously & cooking for 30 seconds to 1 minute until the dough no longer sticks to either the pot or the spatula. Allow to cool

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slightly.

Lightly beat the eggs then whisk or beat ONLY a little more than 2/3 of the egg (just under the full 2 eggs) into the dough a little at a time (you should have at least a tablespoon of egg left for the wash) so the dough slowly falls off the spoon or spatula

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when lifted (not too fast).

Spoon the choux dough into a pastry bag fitted with a plain, 3/4 –inch (20 mm) wide tip. Holding the pastry bag at a 45° angle from the baking sheet, pipe/push out even, regular tubes of dough 5 ½-inches (14 cm) long (or shorter and wider by

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pulling the tip away more slowly as you press out the dough) slicing the end away from the tip with a sharp knife. Leave space all around the éclairs as they puff up and spread while baking. You can also make round choux by pushing tablespoons of dough onto the parchment.

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Using your fingertips or a pastry brush, gently rub & coat the éclair dough with the egg, smoothing the shapes as needed. Sprinkle generously with slivered almonds (gently pressing them on if necessary). These may bake for up to 1 hour (depending on the size) until

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puffed and evenly colored a deep golden. You can prop the oven open slightly the last 5 or 10 minutes of the baking to allow steam to escape. (always keep an eye on anything you bake for the 1st time)

Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a rack.

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9/ Frangipane Cream Filling

INGREDIENTS pastry cream

2 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons (35 grams) granulated white sugar
Small pinch salt
1 tablespoon + ¼ teaspoon (8 grams) flour
1 tablespoon + ¼ teaspoon (8 grams) cornstarch
MORE

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2/3 cup (165 ml) whole milk (I use half whole, half lowfat)

Vigorously whisk the yolks with HALF the sugar (1 Tbs + 1 tsp) & the salt in a large mixing bowl until blended & thickened.

Whisk in the flour & cornstarch until a thick, smooth, lump-free paste is formed.

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Heat the milk with the rest of the sugar in a medium pot over high heat until the first bubbles appear.

Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture in a steady stream while whisking vigorously to prevent the eggs from cooking. Once the hot milk has been whisked into

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the eggs, pour it all back into the pot & return to the heat. Whisking continuously, cook the pastry cream over high heat until it comes to the boil & then allow it to boil, whisking nonstop, for 1 to 2 minutes until the pastry cream is thick & luxuriously fluid.

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Remove from the heat & scrape the pastry cream into a small heatproof/Pyrex bowl or mixing cup, cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic directly onto the pastry cream & refrigerate until chilled.

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INGREDIENTS almond cream

5.5 oz (155 grams) finely ground almonds
5.5 oz (10 Tbs + 2 tsps / 155 grams) unsalted butter, softened
5.5 oz (155 g) powdered sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons dark rum
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

7/8 cup (200 ml) heavy whipping cream (for finishing)

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First preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Spread the finely ground almonds on a large baking sheet. Slide into the preheated oven & allow to roast for 10 minutes; remove them from the oven & scrape into a bowl or platter & allow to cool.

Place the butter in a pot over

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low heat & when the butter is only half melted, pour into a heatproof mixing bowl, swirl until all melted, then whisk in the powdered sugar until smooth, then whisk in the ground almonds, the rum & vanilla.

Remove the now chilled pastry cream from the refrigerator and

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whisk into the almond cream until well blended & smooth. Cover with plastic wrap & place in the refrigerator to chill.

Place the heavy cream in the refrigerator to chill along with a medium-large mixing bowl & the beaters from an electric mixer/beater to chill as well.

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Once the éclair or choux shells are completely cooled, finish the frangipane cream filling.

Using the chilled beaters & bowl, whip the chilled heavy cream until thick and peaks hold. Beat in up to half of the Frangipane, about 2 tablespoons at a time, until blended.

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This should leave you with a deeply almond-flavored whipped cream. Add more to taste, if you like.

Using a serrated bread knife, carefully & gently slice each éclair lengthwise in two & pipe the filling onto the bottom half, cover with the top half, carefully move to

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a plate and dust generously with powdered sugar. Serve & eat immediately when filled.

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