Description
Classic French pastry Raspberry and Cream Éclairs blend delicate choux pastry with silky cream and fresh raspberries. Elegant desserts like these showcase French patisserie skills and delight palates with complex textures and refined flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1½ cups (180 grams) fresh raspberries
- 1 cup (120 grams) fresh raspberries
- 8 oz (225 grams) cream cheese, at room temperature
- ¾ cup (175 mL) heavy cream
- 3 tbsps honey
- ¾ cup (95 grams) all-purpose flour
- 6 tbsps (85 grams) unsalted butter
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp gelatin
- 1 tbsp cold water
- 2 tbsps confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tsps granulated sugar
- 1½ tsps vanilla extract
- ¾ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup (10 grams) freeze-dried raspberries, ground to a fine powder
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 2 cups (245 grams) confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- Gelatin Preparation: Bloom gelatin in cold water, creating a soft, gel-like consistency that will stabilize the cream filling.
- Raspberry Cream Base: Blend crushed raspberries with cream cheese, honey, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, and half the freeze-dried raspberry powder until achieving a silky, uniform texture.
- Cream Mixture: Gently warm heavy cream, incorporate dissolved gelatin, and fold into the cream cheese base. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to solidify and intensify flavors.
- Choux Pastry Creation: Combine butter, sugar, salt, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer, then rapidly introduce flour, stirring until the dough forms a cohesive ball that separates cleanly from the pan.
- Dough Refinement: Cool the dough briefly, then vigorously incorporate eggs one at a time to maintain a smooth, elastic consistency. Transfer to a piping bag with a large decorative tip.
- Baking Process: Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Pipe elongated éclair shapes on parchment-lined baking sheets, smoothing any peaks with a moistened fingertip. Bake until golden-brown, rotating sheets midway. Create small punctures and return to oven with door slightly ajar to dry pastries.
- Raspberry Glaze and Filling: Strain fresh raspberries to extract juice, whisking with confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Chop additional raspberries and fold into whipped cream and chilled raspberry cream mixture.
- Final Assembly: Slice éclairs horizontally, fill bottom halves generously with raspberry cream using a fluted pastry tip. Dip tops in raspberry glaze and carefully replace. Sprinkle with remaining freeze-dried raspberry powder before serving immediately.
Notes
- Master Gelatin Technique: Properly bloom gelatin by sprinkling over cold water, ensuring smooth incorporation without lumps for perfect cream consistency.
- Choux Pastry Precision: Achieve the right dough texture by stirring continuously and creating a clean ball that separates from pan sides, indicating perfect preparation.
- Baking Crucial Steps: Rotate baking sheets midway through cooking and dry éclairs with oven door slightly open to prevent sogginess and maintain crisp exterior.
- Cream Assembly Pro Tip: Fold whipped cream gently into raspberry mixture to maintain airiness and prevent deflating the delicate pastry filling.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 24 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 29 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg