These eclairs are a take on peanut butter and jelly. I made a strawberry diplomat cream for the filling and a peanut butter glaze for the top.
YES! THERE ARE A LOT OF STEPS! DON'T BE OVERWHELMED!
This recipe takes a few components to make, but many of the components can be made in advance. The diplomat cream can be refrigerated over night and the pastry shells can go into the freezer.
Peanut Butter Glaze:
1 Cup +1 Tablespoon Powdered Sugar
3 Tablespoons Peanut Butter Powder (I used PB2)
3 Tablespoons Milk
Eclair Shells (Pate a Choux):
I used this recipe from Let the Baking Being:
1/2 cup whole milk (1/2 cup = 4 oz)
1/2 cup water (1/2 cup = 4 oz)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1/2 cup = 4 oz)
1 cup all purpose flour (1 cup = about 4.7 oz)
5 eggs (5 eggs = 1 cup)
Strawberry Diplomat Cream (Pastry Cream + Stabilized Whipped Cream:
Pastry Cream Ingredients (from the preppy kitchen) https://preppykitchen.com/vanilla-custard/
2 cups whole milk 473mL
6 egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar 135g
1/4 cup cornstarch 37g
1 tbsp unsalted butter 15g, cold
1 Cup Strawberries (Not included in original recipe)
Stabalized Whipped Cream Ingredients
1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
2 Tablespoons Powdered Sugar
1 Packet "Whip It" or 1 sheet of gelatin
Step 1 - Make the Pastry Cream
Puree strawberries in a food processor and set aside.
Add the milk to a medium saucepan, heat then place over medium heat and bring to a boil.
In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the cornstarch and whisk vigorously until no lumps remain.
Whisk in 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture until incorporated. Whisk in the remaining hot milk mixture, reserving the saucepan.
Pour the mixture through a strainer back into the saucepan and add the strawberry puree. Cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and slowly boiling.
Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Let cool slightly.
Cover with plastic wrap, lightly pressing the plastic against the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
Chill at least 2 hours or until ready to serve. The custard can be made up to 24 hours in advance. Refrigerate until 1 hour before using.
Step 2 - Make the eclair shells
Turn the oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Set aside.
Whisk 5 eggs together and set aside.
In a saucepan combine 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 tsp sugar, 1/4 tsp salt & 1/2 cup butter. Bring to a boil over high heat.
Add 1 cup flour all at once. Quickly stir with a spoon to bring the mixture into a dough. Bring the heat to low and continue stirring for another 2-3 minutes to evaporate some of the moisture.
Transfer the dough to a mixer bowl and mix on low with a paddle attachment for 2-3 minutes to cool the dough slightly. Add the egg in 4-5 additions, mixing until smooth before each addition.
Fit a pastry bag with a star tip and drape it over a mug. Fill the bag with the pate choux dough and twist the end. Pipe 3-4 inch long batons about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Place the second sheet of piped pate choux into fridge or freezer until the first sheet is done baking.
Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 375 and bake for another 10-15 minutes until the éclairs are deep golden color. Do not open the oven until the éclairs are golden in color or they will deflate. As soon as they’re out of the oven, use a skewer to poke 2 holes at each end in each éclair to let the steam escape. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool.
Reheat the oven to 425F before placing the other sheet straight from the freezer to the oven and baked as described above.
Step 3 - Finish the Diplomat Cream
Combine heavy cream, powdered sugar and Whip It or dissolved gelatin in a bowl and with a hand mixer or stand mixer, mix on high speed until stiff peaks form.
Take pastry cream out of the fridge, whisk vigorously until all lumps are gone, then fold in whipped cream. Be sure to not stir with a spoon. Regular stirring will create a thinner cream. Folding the cream in keeps the cream light and airy.
Using a pastry bag with a smaller piping tip or filling tip, pipe the cream into the eclair shells.
Step 4 - Peanut Butter Glaze
In a bowl, combine all ingredients with either a fork or spoon until the mixer is fully combined and smooth. Using the top-side-down, dip the filled eclairs into the glaze allowing excess glass to drip off. Place in the fridge for five to ten minutes to allow the glaze to firm up and enjoy!
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