My latest bake and my entry this month into Perfecting Patisserie is my festive chocolate eclairs topped with cranberry and pistachio. If you are looking for an alternative to a traditional Christmas pudding or a special dessert for the Christmas period, these chocolate eclairs could be ideal.
Choux pastry
This is the first time I have made eclairs, though I have made choux pastry before, for choux buns. I decided to play it safe and follow a proven recipe for the eclairs, so I first tried using an eclair recipe from BBC Good Food.
Unfortunately these turned out completely flat and too big, the choux pastry didn’t have the right consistency when ready for piping. Not sure what happened there! Next, I tried a different recipe, this time one of Paul Hollywood’s. These worked much better.
The choux pastry had the right texture when piping, and they puffed up very well and kept their shape.
Filling and topping
For the filling I used whipped double cream, and topped the eclairs with melted Amedei milk chocolate. I was sent this by King’s Fine Foods and have been waiting to make a recipe that would be worthy of such a good quality chocolate.
On top of this I added chopped dried cranberries and chopped pistachio kernels for a festive flavour and look. The Christmassy colours of the cranberries and pistachios look like little jewels and the flavours come through in each bite.
More choux recipes
For more choux pastry ideas, how about:
- Lemon curd choux buns from me
- Choux buns with coffee custard filling from Kavey Eats
- Strawberry choux buns from Fab Food 4 All
- Coffee and walnut mini eclairs from Maison Cupcake
Recipe
Chocolate Eclairs with Cranberry and Pistachio
Ingredients
- 65 g plain flour sifted
- 1 pinch salt
- 50 g unsalted butter diced
- 2 medium free-range eggs beaten
- 120 ml water
- 300 ml fresh double cream
- 100 g milk chocolate I used Amedei
- 30 g dried sweetened cranberries
- 30 g pistachio kernels
Instructions
- First make the eclairs. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees.
- Put the butter in a saucepan with the water and salt and melt on a low heat.
- When all the butter has completely melted, bring the mixture to the boil quickly and add all of the flour.
- Remove the pan from the heat and beat with a wooden spoon.
- Once the dough has come together, place the pan back on a low heat for a minute, still beating, to cook the dough a little.
- Then put the dough in a large mixing bowl and leave it to cool for about five minutes.
- Beat the eggs in a small bowl, then gradually add them to the dough, bit by bit, beating well after each addition.
- Spoon the dough into a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle and pipe 10 cm lengths onto an oiled baking tray.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then turn the oven down to 170 and bake for another ten minutes.
- Remove the tray from the oven and make a small hole in the side of each eclair, to allow the steam to escape. I used a cake tester to do this, which made a very small hole. Put the eclairs back in the oven for another five minutes.
- Remove from the oven, leave to cool, then cut each eclair open along one side and pipe in the cream.
- Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of hot water.
- Dip the top of each eclair in the melted chocolate and smooth it over with a spoon.
- Chop the cranberries and pistachios into small pieces.
- Decorate the top of each eclair with the chopped cranberries and pistachios.
- Serve and enjoy!
I am sending this recipe into my Perfecting Patisserie challenge. Do visit and see the other delicious entries for more patisserie baking inspiration. If you are a blogger, why not join in?
I am also linking up with Festive Food Friday at TamingTwins and KerryCooks
Charlotte Oates says
Who says you can’t have eclairs at Christmas? I’d happily eat one at any time of year. Definitely a good idea to try a different choux recipe as the ones in the pictures looks as though they turned out perfectly.
FoodieGirlChicago says
Eclairs are one of my favorite desserts and I love how you’ve made these festive for the holidays!
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks, so pleased to have frozen some as well for the Christmas break
Danya says
Yum! I love eclairs, and pistachios!! I never thought to put the two together but I will certainly try it, thanks for this delicious recipe! 🙂
bakingqueen74 says
Great Danya! Thanks for visiting
hijackedbytwins says
These are deliciously festive chocolate eclairs, they look perfect! Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare x
Mary says
Cranberries and pistachios are a lovely touch. It has been years since I tried choux pastry, but had been thinking recently that I should – you’ve inspired me to give these a go!
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Mary, I am glad you like them!
markr356 says
These were my favorite cake when I was a kid growing up and I still love them. Great job.
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Mark! They are a bit of a 70s throwback aren’t they, though eclairs are very popular in the UK right now!
cookingontheweekends says
These look pretty perfect for a first go. Yum times 100!
bakingqueen74 says
thanks Valentina!
Janice @FarmersgirlCook says
They look delicious, Lucy. I could eat one right now.
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Janice, I had to freeze half the eclairs to stop myself scoffing them all!
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says
These remind me of some pistachio and cranberry cookies that I had in Starbucks the other day (I was going to try and recreate them). I have never made my own eclairs before, but I think I am going to have to give these a go.
bakingqueen74 says
those cookies sound awesome, I will have to look out for them 🙂
Ange says
I doubt I could make gorgeous pastries like yours, but I do love the addition of my favourite Christmas flavour combination of pistachio and cranberries YUM……
bakingqueen74 says
thank you Ange! it is a very festive combination isn’t it!
Katie says
These look incredible. Really fancy! The combination of pistachio and cranberry must be delicious. Thanks!
bakingqueen74 says
thanks so much Katie!
The Vagabond Baker says
Now this is my idea of festive heaven! I love éclairs, not so sweet but totally delish! Finishing them with jewels is a gorgeous idea! I haven’t baked choux in ages, you’ve inspired me!
bakingqueen74 says
Oh great Rachel, look forward to seeing your next bake
The Vagabond Baker says
Not sure when I’ll be baking them yet, I’m on a bit of a no-dairy thing for a few weeks 😉
kerrycooks says
Ooh yum! I think choclette hit the nail on the head with ‘superb’! They really are 🙂 Love cranberry and pistachio (though I can never spell it!)
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Kerry, the colours certainly made me feel in the mood for the festivities!
choclette says
These really do look superb Lucy and so very festive too. I’ve never made eclairs and haven’t made choux for years either, but I really ought to try they are CT’s favourite. I’m so envious of your amedai chocolate, but glad you saved it for something special.
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks very much Choclette! I broke it down into parts, first pastry, then filling (easy option: cream) and then topping and it wasn’t too time-consuming in the end. If you do you must send them over to Perfecting Patisserie!
Camilla says
Your eclairs look worthy of a fine patisserie window Lucy – awesome:-) Thanks for linking to my Strawberry Choux Buns!
bakingqueen74 says
What a kind thing to say, thanks Camilla
Kavey says
These look both delicious and festive! I adore éclairs!
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Kavey, I am glad I froze the rest of the batch for nearer Christmas
Sarah Trivuncic, Maison Cupcake says
Brilliant way to make eclairs festive – whilst keeping to the traditional favourite format of whipped cream and chocolate 🙂
Thanks for mentioning me too.
bakingqueen74 says
Your’re welcome of course! Must be brave enough/find time to make creme patissiere one day.
efwalt says
These look delicious Lucy! Can’t go wrong with chocolate, pistachios and cranberry. They certainly feel festive 🙂
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Emma! I certainly felt festive when I ate one