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French Cream Puffs with Coffee Cream
Instructions
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan I bring the water (250 ml) to the boil together with the diced margarine (100 g) and salt (½ tsp). The margarine should dissolve completely in the boiling water – I check that there are no floating pieces left. A heavy-bottomed pan stops the choux dough from scorching at the next step.
I take the pan off the heat and immediately tip in all of the sifted flour (150 g). I stir vigorously with a wooden spatula until smooth – the flour should be fully "cooked" into the hot water. I return the pan to a medium heat and cook the dough for 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly. The finished dough comes together into a dense, smooth ball and pulls away from the sides and base – that is the "secret" of a proper choux base.
I transfer the hot choux dough to a large bowl and let it cool to a warm 60°C – this is critical for the next step. If you add the eggs to hot dough they will "cook" and the dough will curdle into lumps. Warm dough (you can test it with a finger – it should not burn) is ideal for adding the eggs.
I beat in the eggs (6 pcs) one at a time, mixing thoroughly with a mixer or wooden spatula after each one until fully absorbed. After each egg the dough first "splits", then becomes smooth again. The finished dough is smooth, glossy and semi-thick – it falls from the spatula in a "ribbon" but does not pour off in a stream. If the dough is too thick, add 1 more egg; if it is too runny, stop earlier.
I transfer the finished dough to a piping bag with a round or star nozzle of 12–15 mm. I line a baking tray with baking paper. I pipe éclairs 8–10 cm long, spaced 4–5 cm apart – they will grow 2–2.5 times during baking. If you do not have a piping bag, use a sturdy plastic bag with a corner cut off.
I heat the oven to 200°C, top-and-bottom setting. I put the tray of éclairs in the centre of the oven and bake for EXACTLY 25 minutes WITHOUT opening the door! This is the "golden rule" of éclairs. Open it earlier and the temperature drops, the éclairs settle into a flat "cake" with no cavity inside. After 25 minutes I open the door "to a pencil's width" (1–2 cm) for another 2 minutes to dry out the crust – this keeps the éclairs from collapsing as they cool.
I switch off the oven and leave the éclairs inside for 5 minutes with the door ajar – extra drying. I move the finished éclairs onto a rack and cool them completely to room temperature (about 30 minutes). A finished éclair is dry on the outside, with a golden crust, light to the touch and hollow inside – perfect for filling with cream.
At the same time I make the coffee cream. I bring the milk (500 ml) to the boil in a heavy-bottomed pan. I take it off the heat and add the freeze-dried coffee (10 g). I stir thoroughly with a whisk until the coffee crystals are fully dissolved. The result is a fragrant "milky cappuccino" – the base of the cream. Freeze-dried coffee gives an even, "deep" flavour without the bitterness of freshly ground.
At the same time, in a bowl I beat the yolks (4 pcs) thoroughly with the sugar (150 g) using a whisk until the mixture lightens and doubles in volume (3–5 minutes). The yolks should turn pale and "creamy". I add the sifted flour (50 g) and a pinch of salt and stir until all the lumps are gone – the salt enhances the sweetness and "rounds out" the flavour of the cream.
In a thin stream I pour the hot coffee milk into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly and vigorously – tempering the yolks. I pour the mixture back into the pan and cook the cream over a low heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly, until it has the thickness of "thin sour cream". The cream should coat the back of a spoon. I take it off the heat and immediately strain it through a sieve – this removes any small bits of egg white for a silky texture.
I cool the cream completely to room temperature, covered with cling film pressed "in contact" with the surface (with no air gap) – this stops a "skin" forming on top. Once cooled, I transfer the cream to a piping bag with a long, thin nozzle for filling the éclairs.
I pierce each éclair at one end or make a lengthways slit in the side. Through the hole or slit I insert the nozzle and fill with coffee cream until it just starts to "squeeze out" the other side – that means the éclair is completely full. I dust the finished éclairs with icing sugar through a sieve (30 g) or drizzle them with melted chocolate for a celebratory presentation. The French choux éclairs with coffee cream are ready! I serve them chilled with tea or coffee.
Tips
- 1
Do NOT open the oven door for the first 25 minutes – this is the "golden rule" of éclairs. Open it earlier and the dough will settle with no cavity.
- 2
Cool the dough to 60°C before adding the eggs – hot dough will "cook" the egg white and curdle it into lumps.
- 3
Cover the cream with cling film "in contact" with the surface – with no air gap, no "skin" forms as it cools. On the same principle I make profiteroles with different creams.
- 4
Fill the éclairs only once they are completely cool – a hot éclair will go soft from the warm cream and lose its crisp crust.
FAQ
What can I use instead of coffee in the cream? +
Good alternatives are: vanilla (the classic, 1 tsp of extract or ½ pod), cocoa (50 g, for a chocolate cream), ground cardamom (½ tsp, for an oriental aroma), the zest of 1 orange (for a citrus cream), 100 g of melted chocolate in the hot milk (for a chocolate cream), or a lemon custard (50 ml of juice + the zest of 1 lemon). For children's éclairs use vanilla or cocoa without coffee. For grown-up desserts use freshly ground espresso or a liqueur such as Baileys or Amaretto (1–2 tbsp). Each substitution gives its own character.
Why did my éclairs turn out flat with no cavity? +
The main reasons are: 1) the oven door was opened during the first 25 minutes (the temperature dropped and the dough settled), 2) the dough was not "cooked" enough (lumps of flour mean no elastic structure), 3) the eggs were added to hot dough (they curdled), 4) the dough was too runny or too thick (the wrong number of eggs), 5) the oven temperature was too low (it needs to be exactly 200°C). For a guaranteed result, use an oven thermometer and do not open the door for 25 minutes. The finished dough should "fall in a ribbon" from the spatula.
How long do the finished éclairs keep? +
Éclairs with cream keep in the fridge for up to 24 hours in an airtight container – any longer and they lose their crisp crust and go soft from the cream. Without cream (empty), they keep at room temperature for up to 2 days in airtight packaging, or freeze for 1 month in a bag. Do not freeze éclairs filled with cream – the cream will "split" on thawing. They are best served 1–2 hours after filling with cream – the pastry soaks up a little but keeps its crisp crust. Make them in batches for a gathering.
What to serve éclairs with? +
They are perfect with coffee (espresso, cappuccino, latte) – the contrast of the crisp crust and the hot drink. With tea – black with bergamot, green with jasmine, or fruit tea. For a children's party – with cocoa or a milkshake. For the dessert table – with brut champagne, prosecco, Moscato or a white semi-sweet wine. For a French breakfast – with hot chocolate and croissants. For a family tea – with homemade jam (strawberry, raspberry) and vanilla ice cream. For a festive presentation, stack them high on a cake stand.
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