Fraisier Eclairs (Eclairs with Pistachio White Chocolate Ganache and Strawberry) 闪电泡芙

An éclair is an oblong French's pastry made with choux dough filled with cream.The word comes from French éclair 'flash of lightning', that's why Chinese also named as 闪电泡芙. And a traditional Fraisier is crème mousseline (pastry cream with extra butter) and strawberries sandwiched between two sheets of heavily imbibed sponge (genoise) cake, you can read more here. When Fraisier and Éclair combine together, it became an awesome pastry !!
When I read this post talking about Christophe Adam (a French patissier who specialises in eclairs) creation of Fraisier Eclairs, I immediately decided to create this pastry at home.

 

Eclairs with Pistachio white chocolate ganache that topped with roasted pistachio, strawberry jelly and fresh strawberry, they are simply awesome!

 

I especially love this pistachio white chocolte ganache, yum!

 

I still use back the choux recipe which I learnt from Academy Pastry Arts Malaysia..and don't forgot to also make the crunchy Craquelin that put on top of choux.

This Fraisier Eclairs is perfect to serve during Christmas time, but I have to warn you that it take quite some time to make this..

Frasier Eclairs (Eclairs with Pistachio White Chocolate Ganache and Strawberry) 闪电泡芙(开心果白巧克力酱 和 草莓)

 

For the Craquelin

 75g butter
 75g brown sugar
 90g plain flour, sifted (I use cake flour this time)

 Method

 1. Beat butter and brown sugar till light and creamy.
 2. Add in sifted flour, mix to combine.
 3. Keep in fridge to harden.
 4. Place dough in between two sheets of plastic sheet, roll into thin sheet (1-2mm).
 5. Cut into small square and place on top of the pastry.

For the Éclairs pastry

*makes about 15pcs
 125g milk
 125g water
 125 salted butter (add 5g salt if you are using unsalted butter (original recipe))
 5g sugar
 250g egg ( 5 medium eggs ), lightly stir
 163g plain flour, sifted (I use cake flour this time)

Method

 1. Boil together milk, water, butter and sugar in a saucepan over medium high flame.
 2. Remove from heat, using a wooden spoon, quickly stir in sifted flour until combined and mixture comes together into a ball. Return to low heat and cook, stirring constantly until the mixture leave the sides of the saucepan and film forms on the bottom of the pan (3-4mins).
 3. Transfer the dough to a clean mixing bowl and stir the dough till reach room temperature(no steam).
 4. Gradually add in egg mixture and stir to incorporate (you may use wooden spatula to stir or use a mixer with paddle attachment to beat). Mix thoroughly until desired texture ( to check-scooping it up using a wooden spoon, the batter should hang down about 20sec before drop down).
 5. Spoon batter into a piping bag fitted with a 2cm star piping tip. Pipe 5” lengths on a baking tray line with non-stick baking paper, allow 2"-3" gap in between each batter. Place a small piece of Craquelin on top.
 6. Bake at preheated oven at 200c for 20mins (to cook and puff it up) at middle rack, reduce temperature to 180C and continue to bake for another 15mins or until brown ( to firm up ).
 7. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

For pistachio-white chocolate Ganache

*enough to decorate 10pcs Eclairs
150 ml whipping cream(dairy)
125 g white chocolate
 30g pistachio (roasted)
A drop of green food colouring, optional

Method

1. Bring whipping cream to scalding (steaming) point in a heavy base pan or in microwave. Once you start seeing small bubbles appearing along the sides, turn the heat off and add chopped chocolates into it. Leave it for couple of minutes and then stir well until combined.
2. Grind pistachio into fine powder and mix it well into the Ganache.
3. Leave it in fridge until it the mixture is really cold. Then whip it up to form stiff peaks and firms up enough to pipe or spoon. It should not be runny and should be stiff and easy to spread. White chocolate may take few hours to harden, but if it gets too stiff, place in the microwave and warm for few seconds until spreadable. you can also whip the Ganache once the mixture is really cold.

For the strawberry jelly

100g strawberries, chopped
2tbsp sugar
2tbsp water

1tsp gelatine powder

1tbsp hot water

Method

1.Place chopped strawberries, sugar and water in a small pot, let it cook for 2-3 minutes or until thick.
2.Mix gelatine and hot water and stir till it turned melt (or you may melt it over a pot of simmering water).
3. Add into strawberry compote, mix well.
4.Let it set in the refrigerate.

To assemble Frasier Eclairs – pipe pistachio white chocolate ganache on top of the éclair, then top with roast pistachio, fresh strawberry and strawberry jelly.

Reference

Eclairs – choux pastry adapted from Academy Pastry Arts Malaysia
Pistachio white chocolate ganache- adapted from here
Strawberry jelly- modified from earlier macaron recipe here
Recipe by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover

I am submitting this to the "Baby Sumo's Christmas Recipes Collection 2013" event which is hosted by Baby Sumo of Eat Your Heart Out.