Pistachio Cream Éclairs
Pistachio cream éclairs are made with classic choux pastry shells filled with a pistachio-flavored pastry cream and finished with a pistachio glaze on top. The nutty, subtly sweet filling pairs well with the light, hollow shell that choux baking produces. Expect to spend around 1 hour 30 minutes making and assembling these from scratch.
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Baking sheet
- Piping Bag with Large Nozzle
- Saucepan
- Whisk
- Oven
Ingredients
For the Choux Pastry:
- 1 cup water filtered
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into cubes
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour sifted
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
For the Pistachio Cream Filling:
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large egg yolks
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsalted pistachios finely ground
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar sifted
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ¼ cup chopped pistachios for garnish
Instructions
For the Choux Pastry:
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a saucepan, combine water, butter, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and immediately stir in all the flour. Return to heat and stir constantly until the mixture forms a ball and a thin film forms on the bottom of the pan. Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl. With a wooden spoon or electric mixer, beat in the eggs one at a time until the dough is smooth and glossy. Transfer dough to a piping bag fitted with a large nozzle. Pipe 4-inch long strips onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 425°F (220°C), then reduce heat to 375°F (190°C) and bake for an additional 25 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
For the Pistachio Cream Filling:
- In a saucepan, heat the milk and vanilla extract until just boiling. Remove from heat. In a bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until pale. Whisk in the flour. Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Return mixture to the saucepan. Place over medium heat and stir constantly until thickened and smooth. Stir in the ground pistachios. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface and refrigerate until cool.
For the Glaze:
- In a bowl, mix the confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth. Spread over the top of each éclair and sprinkle with chopped pistachios.
Assembly:
- Slice each éclair in half lengthwise. Fill a piping bag with the pistachio cream and pipe onto the bottom half of each éclair. Place the top half over the cream-filled base and drizzle with glaze. Serve chilled.
Notes
- To increase the stability of the choux pastry, crack the oven door open after baking to let the éclairs dry out without becoming soggy.
- If pistachios are unavailable, almonds make a delightful alternative for a different twist on the flavor.
Nutrition
Calories: 432kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 10gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 196mgSodium: 61mgPotassium: 233mgFiber: 2gSugar: 35gVitamin A: 668IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 84mgIron: 2mg
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