Éclairs: A French classic with a sweet twist

The name of the sweet pastry comes from the French word "éclair," which means lightning. Allegedly, it's because the long dessert is eaten in a flash. It's no surprise, as the choux pastry filled with custard or whipped cream is so delicious that it disappears from the plate in the blink of an eye.

Crispy and light choux pastry filled with delicious custard cream and coated in chocolate is a dessert perfect for any occasion. It will charm aunts at name day celebrations, delight friends at parties, and quickly bring a smile to the faces of your loved ones. What's more, you don't need the skills of French pastry masters to prepare it.

Ingredients:

Pastry:

• 120 ml milk,
• 120 ml water,
• 125 g butter,
• 2 tablespoons sugar,
• 155 g all-purpose flour,
• 4 eggs.

Custard cream:

• 500 ml milk,
• 5 egg yolks,
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour,
• 2 tablespoons cornflour,
• 100 g soft butter,
• Additional 200 g soft butter.

Coating:

• 200 g milk chocolate,
• 50 ml double cream,
• Pistachios for sprinkling.

Preparation instructions:

Step 1. Pour the water and milk into a saucepan, add sugar and butter, and heat until the butter melts. Then add the flour and continue heating, stirring constantly, until you have a smooth dough.

Step 2. Transfer the dough to a bowl. Gradually add the beaten eggs, mixing constantly. Transfer the dough to a piping bag and pipe out the éclairs onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Place them in a preheated oven at 180°C for 35 minutes.

Step 3. In a bowl, mix the egg yolks with 120 ml of milk, flour, and cornflour. Boil the remaining milk, pour in the egg mixture, and heat until it thickens. Remove from the heat, add 100 g of butter, and mix. Set aside to cool.

Step 4. Dip the baked éclairs in melted milk chocolate mixed with cream. Set aside to allow the coating to harden slightly.

Step 5. Add the remaining butter to the cooled custard and mix until smooth and creamy. Transfer it to a piping bag. Cut the éclairs lengthwise and fill with custard cream.

Step 6. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios. You can also use coconut flakes or omit this addition. Enjoy!