food

Pistachio & Orange Eclairs

Not your average eclair!

food

Pistachio & Orange Eclairs

Not your average eclair!

Ingredients

Pistachio & Orange Eclairs

  • 2⁄3 cup water 150 mL
  • 2⁄3 cup whole milk 150 mL
  • 13⁄4 tsp pure vanilla extract 8 mL
  • 11⁄2 tsp granulated sugar 7 mL
  • 3⁄4 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces (160 g) 175 mL
  • 3⁄4 tsp salt 3 mL
  • 1 cup + 3 tbsp all-purpose flour (160 g) 295 mL
  • 5 large eggs, beaten (approx.)
  • Zest of 1 orange

Orange Cream

  • Zest of 1 orange
  • 250ml of skim milk
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 50g sugar
  • 1tbsp flour
  • 1tbsp cornstarch
  • 185g butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • sea salt

Pistachio Glaze

  • 350g white chocolate
  • 200ml thickened/whipping cream
  • ½ cup crushed pistachios, crushed + extra to sprinkle
  • 2 drops green food gel

Steps

Pistachio & Orange Eclairs

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
  2. In a medium saucepan, combine water, milk, vanilla, sugar, butter and salt.
  3. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
  4. Remove from heat. Add flour.
  5. Using a wooden spoon, stir until flour is completely incorporated and dough pulls away from sides of pan, leaving sides of pan fairly clean.
  6. Return pan to medium-low heat. Cook dough, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, for 5 minutes, until dough is smooth and forms a ball. (Heating the dough like this helps to “dry it out” so you end up with a uniform mixture that is not too moist.)
  7. Transfer mixture to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and cut some small holes in it. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
  8. Once cooled, add the eggs one at a time, mixing into the pastry each time. Once you have all 5 eggs in there the batter should appear stringy when you squish it between two fingers.
  9. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 6B piping tip.
  10. Pipe long lines of the dough into a baking sheet lined with baking paper ot silicone baking mats, pacing about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. They will expand as they bake.
  11. Bake one sheet at a time for 35 minutes. At the end of baking, turn oven off, open oven door about 1⁄2 inch and let cool for 15 minutes (they will continue to brown slightly) to let steam escape and prevent éclairs from cracking. Transfer to racks to cool completely.
  12. Dip the top of the eclairs in the pistachio glaze and allow excess to drip off. Sprinkle with crushed pistachios to finish.
  13. Eclairs can be stored in the fridge for up to 1-2 days in an air tight container.

Orange Cream

  1. In a large mixing bowl, mix the yolks, vanilla bean paste and the sugar and whisk until well combined and the mixture lightens in color.
  2. Add the corn flour and plain flour and stir until mixture is smooth Add 1/3 of the hot milk and stir well. Then slowly add the rest of the milk while stirring.
  3. Microwave for 1 minute at a time, stirring each time until mixture thickens and becomes smooth. You should be able to run your finger along the back of a spoon and it will be thick enough to not come back together.
  4. Add the cold butter cubes and orange zest and whisk until the butter is well incorporated.
  5. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours or overnight to allow it to completely set.
  6. Pierce the bottom of the eclairs with a sharp knife three times. Insert a piping bag filled with the orange cream and fill the eclairs.

Pistachio Glaze

  1. Pistachio glaze
  2. Add the chocolate and cream into a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 20 seconds at a time, mixing each time until smooth. Add green food gel and pistachios and mix.