Bitesize Coffee Éclairs
Crisp choux pastry shells, sweetened whipped cream filling and coffee glacé icing come together in a delicious, tiny package- perfect for afternoon teas, petit fours, or Bridgerton watch parties.
Servings 40 mini éclairs
Equipment
- Small, open-star piping tip
Ingredients
For the choux pastry:
- 25 g unsalted butter
- 25 ml water
- 25 ml milk
- Pinch of salt
- 35 g strong white bread flour, sifted.
- 50 g eggs, beaten (about 1 egg).
For the whipped cream filling:
- 100 ml double cream
- 1 tsp icing sugar, sifted.
For the coffee glacé icing:
- 60 g icing sugar, sifted.
- 1/2 tsp instant coffee granules, dissolved in 1 tsp hot water.
Instructions
Make the choux pastry shells:
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (conventional oven). Line 2 baking trays with greaseproof paper and set aside.
- Place the butter, water, milk and salt into a saucepan over medium heat. Allow the butter to melt, then bring to a strong simmer.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the sifted flour, all at once. Mix the flour in off the heat, then return the pan to the heat.
- Stir the mixture over the heat for a couple of minutes, taking care not to scrape the bottom of the pan as you stir, until the mixture reaches 75°C.
- Transfer the dough to a bowl and stir for a few minutes until the mixture has cooled slightly (it should be about 60°C).
- Gradually add the beaten egg, stirring well between each addition, until all of the egg has been incorporated and the mixture resembles a smooth paste.
- Transfer the choux pastry to a piping bag, fitted with a small, open-star nozzle. Pipe lengths of about 4-5cm onto the prepared baking trays to make the éclairs.
- Bake one tray of éclairs at a time in the preheated oven, for about 15 minutes, or until the éclairs have puffed up and are crisp and golden.
- As soon as you remove the éclairs from the oven, use a sharp knife/skewer to pierce each one, to allow the steam to escape. Allow the éclairs to cool completely before filling and decorating.
Make the whipped cream filling:
- Put the cream and sifted icing sugar into a bowl and whisk until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a piping bag, fitted with a small star nozzle, ready to fill the éclairs.
Make the coffee glacé icing:
- Add the dissolved coffee granules to the icing sugar, a little at a time, stirring between each addition, until a thick, but smooth, icing is achieved. If too thick, add more water. If too thin, add more sifted icing sugar. The icing should be smooth and silky, but be firm enough that it doesn't run off the surface of the éclairs.
- Transfer the icing to a piping bag, for extra control. You can either use a small, round tip or just snip the very end of the piping bag off for a similar effect.
Assemble the éclairs:
- Use a small, serrated knife to split each éclair horizontally.
- Pipe a line of whipped cream onto the cut side of one half of each éclair, then sandwich the other half on top, cut side down.
- Pipe a thick line of coffee glacé icing down the centre of the top of each éclair to finish. The éclairs should be served straight after assembling, otherwise they pastry will become soggy.
Notes
Make-Ahead:
While the filled éclairs need to be served immediately, the unfilled shells can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days before splitting and filling.
Recipe adapted from ironwhisk.com