Passion Fruit Éclairs (with Meringue Kisses) | Bake Off Box #7

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It’s already time for the 7^th Bake Off Box recipe! This month we have a tricky one – Passion Fruit Éclairs with Meringue Kisses!

Although Éclairs aren’t normally my go-to choice, I actually really enjoyed both making and eating these Passion Fruit Éclairs. A big game changer was that they were filled with a Crème Pâtissiere rather than the British standard of Whipped Cream (which every French person would frown upon I’m sure). This recipe was also quite technically challenging and required a few different skills so I really enjoyed that. My full review of this month’s box and equipment can be found here.

Check out the other Bake Off Box Recipes:

Watch the Baking and Unboxing Video here:

Passion Fruit Éclairs (with Meringue Kisses) – Bake Off Box #7

This has probably been the most technically demanding Bake Off Box recipe so far! Plus it has reminded me that there are still two Baking Basics posts I want to create: How to make Choux Pastry and How to Make Meringue (French, Italian, and Swiss). I just haven’t got round to it though…. I do have a recipe for making Crème Pâtissière though, aka French Pastry Cream, so make sure you check out the Baking Basics post on that here.

Like I said, this Bake Off Box is pretty much up there as one of my favourites with the Chocolate and Hazelnut Babka. Partly because it was a bit more demanding and really tested my baking skills, but also because it introduced me to an entirely new flavour combination! Who knew passion fruit curd was such a great addition to crème pâtissière and that a caramel topping for an éclair could be so good! This was a fantastic change from the usual cream-filled chocolate éclairs you buy in UK supermarkets, which is something I would NEVER buy.

Top Tips for Preparing the Individual Recipe Elements for the Passion Fruit Éclairs

Like I said, I will be writing up a choux pastry and meringue baking basics post soon hopefully, but here are my main tips for mastering the different elements of these Passion Fruit Éclairs for now:

CHOUX PASTRY

The pastry that is cooked twice. Once in a pot on the hob, then baked in the oven. It’s important that you cook the pastry enough on the hob to get rid of the floury flavour, and then leave it to cool slightly before adding the eggs. Otherwise, the eggs may scramble – and that is the last thing you want! Make sure to add the eggs gradually, until the mixture is smooth, glossy, and drops off a spoon fairly readily leaving a V-shape.

When piping, make sure to apply pressure evenly to the piping bag, to make sure the éclairs are straight and have an even thickness throughout. Then use a damp finger to push down any sticky-uppy bits that could burn in the oven.

Finally, choux pastry gets its rise due to its high water content. When the water evaporates during the baking process, it creates steam which then makes the choux pastry puff up. To make sure the choux pastry doesn’t collapse and go soggy, it’s important to pierce the pastry with a skewer to release the steam. And returning the pastry shells to the oven for another 5 minutes after that will dry them out further and make sure the outside is crisp.

MERINGUE

There are three types of meringue: French, Swiss and Italian. The meringue kisses in this recipe are made with French meringue, which is probably the easiest to master. The key thing to remember is that your bowl needs to be absolutely spotless for whisking the egg white, as any grease will prevent it from reaching its full volume.

When adding the caster, make sure you add only a little at a time, whisking well between each addition. This will allow the sugar to dissolve in the meringue and will also prevent adding too much weight which will make the meringue collapse.

French meringue is baked in a low oven for a long time, allowing the meringue to firm up and dry out slowly. Meringues do not like temperature shocks, so once baked, leave them to cool in the oven with the oven door closed, to bring them down to room temperature gradually. If the change in temperature is too rapid, the meringues make crack.

CRÈME PÂTISSIÈRE

This is the one thing I DO have a baking basics post on! So check that out here.

Adding passion fruit curd is a stroke of genius though – I LOVED it! I definitely think it’s hard to come by unless you have slightly fancier supermarkets nearby (e.g. Waitrose, M&S, etc.). You could also always try making it yourself – maybe I’ll do that one day.

CARAMEL

Now, I am by no means and experienced caramel maker… I made it for this Sticky Toffee Cake with Pecan Praline (one of my favourite recipes to date) but not very often since. I think the main thing is to watch it like a hawk, never stir it with a metal spoon (you can use a pastry brush to brush down sugar crystals from the sides of the pot though) and just be VERY CAREFUL as it is EXTREMELY HOT. There you go, not extremely helpful but those are my tips XD.

What have I changed about the original recipe?

Normally I wouldn’t try changing anything about the Bake Off Box recipe while I’m making it but maybe have a few suggestions of things I would change if I made it again. But when I was making these Passion Fruit Éclairs, there were a few things I had to change on the spot.

When making the choux pastry, I used the two large eggs the recipe called for. But the choux pastry didn’t have the right consistency yet, so I ended up having to add a little bit of extra egg to it. So definitely have some additional eggs on stand-by, I’d also recommend to have extra eggs in case your crème pâtissière ends up splitting/scrambling and you have tot try again. But when you are making choux pastry, the thing to look out for is glossy and shiny pastry, that drops off a spoon fairly readily and leaves a V-shape when it drops.

In addition, I also felt like the 100g of caster sugar to make the caramel that the original recipe called for was not enough. So I would suggest using 150g of caster sugar so that there is definitely enough to decorate the éclairs and you don’t end up having to make a second batch.

More Pâtissèrie & Pastry Recipes

Passion Fruit Éclairs with Meringue Kisses | Bake Off Box #7

Recipe

Ingredients:

FOR THE CHOUX PASTRY:

65ml full-fat (whole) milk
65ml water
55g butter (unsalted)
90g plain flour
1 tsp caster sugar
¼ tsp salt
2 large eggs, beaten (you may need a little more)

FOR THE MERINGUE KISSES:

1 large egg white
60g caster sugar

FOR THE PASSION FRUIT CRÈME PÂTISSIÈRE:

125ml full-fat (whole) milk
125g double cream
3 large egg yolks
35g plain flour
50g caster sugar
20g butter (unsalted)
100g passion fruit curd

FOR THE CARAMEL:

150g caster sugar

TO FINISH:

20g passion fruit curd
Mint leaves, to decorate (optional)

YOU WILL ALSO NEED:

Pencil and ruler
Two large baking trays
Wooden spoon
Metal skewer or cocktail stick
Wire cooling rack
Electric hand whisk
Round nozzle (1cm diameter)
Small open star nozzle
Filling nozzle
2 large piping bags
3 small piping bags

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan. Draw ten 12cm lines, about 6cm apart) on a piece of baking paper. Then turn it around (so that the lines are on the underside) and place onto a large baking tray.
To make the choux pastry, sift the flour, sugar, and salt together onto a separate piece of baking paper and set aside.
Place the milk, water, and butter in a small saucepan and set over a medium heat. Warm the mixture gently until the butter has melted. Once melted, bring the mixture to the boil, then add in the flour in one go and remove from the heat. Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until it comes together in a ball.
Return the pan to the heat and stir over a low heat for 3-4 minutes to dry out the pastry slightly. You will be able to tell it’s ready when it leaves the sides of the pan clean. Transfer the choux to a dinner plate and flatten with the back of a wooden spoon to help cool it faster. Leave to cool until just warm.
Scrape the just-warm choux pastry into a bowl. Then pour in the beaten eggs, a little at a time, mixing well with an electric hand mixer or wooden spoon between each addition until smooth.
Spoon the mixture into a large piping bag fitted with the large round nozzle. Using the lines as a guide, slowly pipe 10 thick, even, and straight 12cm-long lines (~2-3cm in diameter) onto the baking paper. You may want to use a bit of the mixture to stick down the edges of the baking paper to the baking tray to prevent it from slipping.
Bake the éclairs in the preheated oven for 30 minutes until golden brown and risen. Remove from the oven and use a metal skewer or cocktail stick to pierce a hole into both ends of each éclair. This will allow the steam to escape and make sure the éclairs stay crisp. Return the éclairs to the oven for another 5 minutes to dry out. Once baked, place the éclairs onto a wire cooling rack and leave to cool completely.
Turn down the oven to 120°C/100°C fan.
In the meantime, prepare the meringue kisses. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg white on a low speed for about 2-3 minutes until small bubbles form. Then increase the speed and whisk until the egg white starts to stiffen. Start adding the caster sugar 1 tbsp at a time and whisk for about 5 more minutes until the meringue is white, glossy and forms stiff peaks.
Use a tiny bit of meringue to stick the edges of a piece of baking paper onto the baking tray. Spoon the remaining meringue into a piping bag fitted with a small open star nozzle. Pipe about 60 small kisses onto a tray lined with baking paper. Squeeze the piping bag gently without touching the baking paper, then pull up quickly to create the tip of the kisses.
Bake the meringue kisses on the middle shelf of the oven for about 45 minutes until the meringues are dry and easy to peel off the baking paper. Turn the oven off and leave the meringues inside with the door closed until needed (this will prevent them from cracking).
To make the crème pâtissière, pour the milk and double cream into a medium saucepan and place over a medium heat. Warm for about 4-5 minutes until it just starts to simmer. In the meantime, whisk together the egg yolks, caster sugar and flour in a separate bowl and smooth and paler in colour.
Slowly pour the warm milk mixture onto the egg mixture, whisking continuously until combined. Then pour the mixture back into the pan and return the crème pâtissière to the heat. Heat for about 4-5 minutes, whisking continuously, until the mixture is thick.
Pass the mixture through a sieve into a clean bowl to remove any lumps. Then stir in the butter and stir until melted and fully combined. Add in 100g of the passion fruit curd, then place a piece of clingfilm over the surface of the crème pât and chill in the fridge until ready to use.
Once the éclairs are cool and you are ready to assemble, tip the sugar into a small saucepan (but large enough to dip the éclairs) to make the caramel. Place the pan over a medium heat and once the sugar starts to melt, swirl the pan so that the sugar melts completely.
Cook the caramel over a medium heat until it has turned an amber colour, then remove it from the heat.
Carefully, using your fingertips or a pair of tongs as the caramel is VERY hot, dip the top of an éclair into the caramel to coat the surface. Let any excess caramel drip off, then place the éclair caramel-side up onto a wire rack to set for about 10 minutes.
Spoon the chilled crème pâtissière into a piping bag fitted with a filling nozzle. Insert the nozzle into the steam hole (created in step 7) and fill until you feel some resistance. Then fill it again from the other side until some of the crème pâtissière escapes from the opposite hole. Remember to leave a little bit of crème pât to decorate (you may need to transfer that to another small piping bag to cut off a smaller hole for piping).
To decorate, spoon the 20g of passion fruit curd into a small piping bag and snip off the end. Pipe dots over the caramel glaze in places you want the meringue kisses to go. Then place the meringue kisses on top to decorate.
Pipe any of the remaining curd or crème pâtissière over the éclairs in small dots and decorate with the mint leaves, if using. Place the Passion Fruit Éclairs onto a serving plate and serve immediately.

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