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.

Florentine Cookies 佛罗伦萨饼干

The other day my friend mentioned to me that she is going to make Florentine cookies for the coming CNY. I have never heard of this cookie before, after googled then I only know Florentine biscuit is an Italian pastry made from setting nuts and candied cherries into a caramel disc, which is then often coated on the bottom with chocolate. Other types of candied fruit are used as well.
Since I still have some leftover nuts and dried cranberries, so I quickly use it to make this cookie.

 

 

This cookie is chewy and sweet..

Florentines Cookies 佛罗伦萨饼干

100g whole hazelnuts

50g dried cranberries, chopped
30g desiccated coconuts
20g flaked almonds
2tbsp cake flour

50g sugar

50g honey
40g salted butter

100g dark chocolate

Method

1. Place the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes (180C) or until fragrant and the skins begin to flake. Remove from oven and place the hot nuts in a dish towel. Roll up the towel and let the nuts sit (steam) for 10 minutes then briskly rub the nuts in the towel to remove the skins. Let cool and then coarsely chop. Set aside.
2. Place almond flakes on a baking sheet and bake for 4mins at 170C or until lightly browned and fragrant. Remove from oven and let cool. Set aside.
3. Add hazelnuts, almond, desiccated coconuts, cranberries and flour, stir until all the fruit and nuts are coated with the flour.
4. Put the sugar, honey and butter in a small saucepan and gently melt together.
5. Add the honey mixture to the fruit and nut mixture and stir to combine.
6. Line a large baking tray with greaseproof paper, and spread the Florentine mixture out to a thin layer – don’t worry if you have small gaps, it should melt together in the oven. Bake for 10-12 mins (oven at 180C) until a rich golden colour, then set aside to cool and firm up.
7. Melt the chocolate all in separate heatproof bowls over gently simmering water. Line a second large tray or board with greaseproof paper and carefully flip the cooled Florentine bake onto it. Peel off the greaseproof paper. Spread the melted chocolate over and let set before cutting into small shapes as per your desire.
8. Keep Florentines in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving. 

Recipe reference: here and here, by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover

 

My neighbour given me some dark chocolate,  in return I packed some cookies for them.



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

A Christmas dinner, and A Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese frosting

Yesterday my sister-in-law Annie invited us and another SIL Doreen to her house for a Christmas dinner. I brought my favourite carrot cake with cream cheese frosting (now becomes Annie 's favourite too, hehehe),  macarons for her daughter who loves macarons and Nama chocolate to her house.

I still have room to improve for a nice macaron, i feel my macarons still has no nice legs or skirts..I suspected that it was caused by high oven temperature and i need to practise more..

I also made Nama chocolate from a very popular recipe by Nami Just One Cookbook...

I forgot to take this chocolate picture in Annie's house, this picture was taken at home, with a nice oven mitten from Jane and silver cake stand from Helena..

Let's see what we had on that night. All foods were prepared by my SIL's husband Terry who is a great cook!

Starter- Pig in blanket ( In the United Kingdom, "pigs in blankets" refers to small sausages (usually Chipolatas) wrapped in bacon. They are a traditional accompaniment to roast turkey for Christmas dinner. Pigs in blankets can be accompanied with devils on horseback, an appetizer of prunes, or less commonly dates, wrapped in bacon, read more here)

Nice cheese with crackers..

Her daughters supposed to make a Christmas Fruit Tree..

after i brought my son for a good swim (at the swimming pool) downstairs.. 

Once we returned i saw the edible fruits tree has became fruits platters on plates. They seem have given up making this tree. You can see a Christmas fruit tree image here

Chicken Shepherd Pie, my son Desmond loves this very much. You can refer to my cottage pie recipe and it is just replace the beef with chicken..

The main course- A very nice and moist roast Turkey. Terry strongly recommended this easy and good recipe from Jamie Oliver

I love the special stuffing which not stuff inside the usual cavity area instead stuff in between skin and breast..

resulted very flavourful meat..

brown sauce and vegetables

everyone was enjoying this yummy Turkey meal..

And we had carrot cake for dessert, feel shy for my poor frosting..I got the idea of pipe red poinsiettas when i saw in Piece of Cake blog..So I quickly bought a leaf tip to pipe these flowers but red was end up become orange in colour as the colour of cream cheese has smeared into the colour of red.

We also had this fruit cake with Kahlua, very special indeed!

A must have item during Christmas, gingerman cookies

Every kids received a Christmas gifts given by Annie, and even i have Christmas gift too. It was few very lovely knitted cup dolly, you will be seeing these in my future pictures..

Last but not least, Terry was afraid that we were still hungry (actually we all still very full), he went to stir fried a big plate of Kampua noodles (he brought back from Sibu) for us, another yummy treat!! Even we still feel full, this big plate of noodles still gone just in a minute!

I made a larger carrot cake this time, i modified the old recipe to make a 8" carrot cake..

Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting
Recipe source: modified from old recipe here, with minor changes
*makes a 8” round pan

Carrot cake
300g finely shredded carrots
260g all purpose flour
1tsp baking powder
1tsp baking soda
1/2tsp salt
160g caster sugar
110g brown sugar
1/2tsp nutmeg powder
1/2tsp cinnamon powder
200g corn oil
1tsp vanilla extract
4 eggs, lightly stir
100g walnut, chopped
50g mixed dried fruits
50g dried cranberries

Method
1. Sift flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder and baking soda in a mixing bowl.
2. Add in caster sugar, salt and brown sugar, stir well.
3. Add in carrots, corn oil, vanilla extract and egg, beat for few minutes till mixture well combined.
4. Add in walnut and dried fruits, mix well.
5. Pour in a greased and line baking pan, bake at pre-heated oven 180c for 50mins or inserted with a skewer came out clean.
6. Cool on a wire rack and apply cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese frosting
300g cream cheese, at room temperature
80g butter, at room temperature
140g icing sugar, sifted
2tsp lemon zest


Method
1. Beat cream cheese and butter till light and creamy.
2. Add in icing sugar and mix well on low speed.
3. Add in lemon juices and lemon zest, combine well.
4. Store in fridge for later use.

Thank you to Annie and Terry for the invite, we were enjoyed so much for all yummy foods that prepared for us..